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
St. Stephen's Green in Dublin, Ireland
Close-up of a microchip
Oil lamps being arranged on rangoli designs during Diwali
Straw-colored fruit bats in Kasanka National Park, Zambia
Milky Way over the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in New Mexico
Aurora australis over the Halley VI Research Station in Antarctica
Xiechi Lake in Yuncheng, Shanxi province, China
Artist Laura Buckley with her mixed-media sculpture 'Fata Morgana,' Saatchi Gallery, London
Bing Today Images
Kings Mountain, Chugach Mountains, Alaska
Jan 04, 2026
Bản Giốc–Detian Falls on the Quây Sơn River, Vietnam
Jan 04, 2025
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
Jan 04, 2024
Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown, New Zealand
Jan 04, 2017
