Perihelion refers to the point in Earth's orbit that is

Perihelion refers to the point in Earth's orbit that is

• A. Farthest from the Sun
• B. Closest to the Sun
• C. The orbital point where Earth is nearest to the Moon
• D. The orbital point where Earth is farthest from the Sun

Answer: (B)

Perihelion is the point in Earth’s orbit where it is closest to the Sun. The Earth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse, so the distance to the Sun varies over the year. At perihelion, which occurs in early January, Earth is about 147 million kilometers from the Sun—closer than at any other point in the orbit. The opposite point, aphelion, is when Earth is farthest from the Sun (around July), about 152 million kilometers away. The Moon isn’t part of this measure, so being nearest to the Moon isn’t relevant to perihelion. The term that describes the farthest point from the Sun is aphelion, not perihelion. So the closest-to-the-Sun description is the correct one.

Perihelion is the point in Earth’s orbit where it is closest to the Sun. The Earth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse, so the distance to the Sun varies over the year. At perihelion, which occurs in early January, Earth is about 147 million kilometers from the Sun—closer than at any other point in the orbit. The opposite point, aphelion, is when Earth is farthest from the Sun (around July), about 152 million kilometers away. The Moon isn’t part of this measure, so being nearest to the Moon isn’t relevant to perihelion. The term that describes the farthest point from the Sun is aphelion, not perihelion. So the closest-to-the-Sun description is the correct one.