Is it true that the Earth is actually closer to the sun in Winter than in Summer in the Northern hemisphere?

Answer 1

Yes, it's true. The point in the earth's orbit that is closest to the sun is a point that we pass in late January each year.

Since the earth's orbit is very nearly circular, the earth is not MUCH closer in January than in July. Far more significant than the reduced distance to the sun in January is the angle at which the sun's rays strike each part of the earth. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the rays come in at a low angle (and for relatively few hours per day) due to the earth's tilt ... so we are much more likely to complain about the lack of heat from the sun, rather than complain that we are getting too close to the sun in January.

In the southern hemisphere, however, the people are receiving more direct sunlight in January (i.e., the sun is rising higher in the sky and shining down more vertically). And at the same time, the earth is closer to the sun, so they are getting more solar heat each summer day than the northern hemisphere receives during its summer days. However, because the earth is slightly closer to the sun in January, it is moving faster in its orbit. So the southern hemisphere has a slightly shorter summer than the northern hemisphere ... giving them less time to enjoy their greater incoming solar energy.

You can confirm that winter is the shortest season by checking in an almanac the exact time that each of the 4 seasons starts in a given year and carefully calculating the number of days (and fractions of days) in each season. You should find that winter is the shortest season and summer is the longest season in the northern hemisphere (and the opposite in the southern hemisphere).

Answer 2

I do believe the distance from the sun varies a bit from 92-94 million miles but that isn't the reason for the seasons changing. It's the fact that the Earth is tilted on it's axis. The Northern Hemisphere gets more sunlight in the summer because it's pointed towards the sun.

Answer 3

The distance from the sun during the yearly orbit doesn't affect the temperature as much as the angle that the sun's rays are hitting the earth... In the winter, the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the earth reducing the amount of direct sunlight and lowering the temps...

Answer 4

technically, earth doesnt get closer or further from the sun in winter or summer... what really happens is that the northern hemisphere, due to the tilt of the earth, is more exposed to the sun in summer than in winter... in other words, the n. hemisphere is directly exposed TO the sun (or tilting towards it) . in winter, north is away from it, while the southern is directly exposed to the sun.
on a side note, because of the tilt, the sun is "higher" in the sky during winter, and in summer it's lower... like u, i would have assumed opposite before knowing this fact lol

Answer 5

Yes. The Earth is at its orbital perigee for the Northern Hemispher's winter.
We (those of us in the Northern Hemisphere) are simply tilted away from the sun at the time, so that is why it is winter--less direct sunlight.

Answer 6

Yes it is true , but since we're tilted away from the rays it gets cold. This is why summer and winter in the southern hemisphere are typically slightly warmer.

Answer 7

The word for the closest approach of the earth to the sun is perihelion (the Greek word helios = sun, and we get the name of the element helium from it too). the word for the furthest distance we get from the Sun is aphelion.

The same prefixes are used tor the Moon's elliptical orbit around the earth: perigee when it is at its nearest to us, and apogee when it is at its farthest away,

Perihelion was January 4th this year and aphelion was July 3rd

Here are the dates for the next few years:

2007: Perihelion Jan 3. Aphelion July 7.
2008: Perihelion Jan 3. Aphelion July 4.
2009: Perihelion Jan 4. Aphelion July 4.
2010: Perihelion Jan 3. Aphelion July 6.
2011: Perihelion Jan 3. Aphelion July 4.
2012: Perihelion Jan 5. Aphelion July 5.

Distances involved:
Perihelion: 147,098 km. Aphelion: 152,097 km.

Answer 8

you and Richard are right.

The southern hemisphere gets both summer tilt and is closer to the sun by 1 million miles.

They get warmer summers and colder winters by 1.08 %

Answer 9

Yes, Earth is closest to the sun in winter.

Winter Earth-sun distance -- 142-million km (88,234,709 miles)
Summer Earth-sun distance -- 152-million km (94,448,421 miles)

Answer 10

true. but the Earth's orbit is very close to a circle so this has only a very very small effect, much less than the main effect, due to the tilted Earth axis, which drives the seasons.