The Earth as seen from the International Space Station
© JSC/NAS
So close, yet so far. Earth at Perihelion
We've reached perihelion! Two weeks after winter solstice, the Earth's orbit is closer to the Sun than at any other time of year - a result of the Earth’s elliptical orbit. You may think: 'If we’re so close to the Sun, why can’t I feel the heat?' Well, that's because we're only receiving about 7% more solar energy than normal, which doesn’t really have much impact on the weather.
Related Images
Aerial view of vineyards in La Geria, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
St Stephen's Green in Dublin, Ireland
Straw-coloured fruit bats in Kasanka National Park, Zambia
Close-up of a microchip
Artist Laura Buckley with her video installation Fata Morgana, Saatchi Gallery, London
An aerial shot of a tennis match for the opening day of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships
Aurora Australis over the Halley VI Research Station in Antarctica
Yuncheng Salt Lake in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province, China
Bing Today Images
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA
Jan 04, 2024
Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown, New Zealand
Jan 04, 2017
