Sky science
Perihelion
Direct answer
Perihelion is the point where a heliocentric orbiting body is nearest the Sun.
It is the Sun-specific form of periapsis.
$0 today, then $12/month after 7 days. Cancel anytime.
At a glance
- Found in
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Related
- Periapsis, Apoapsis, Aphelion, Perigee
It is the Sun-specific form of periapsis.
A scientific orientation to scale, light, or motion; the article supplies the precise definition.
What does your own chart say about you?
Choose love, work or purpose. Your reading is written from your chart. Your reading uses your own birth details.
Walk through Alex’s whole example first
The Road of AgesSee the turning points of your whole life, from your birth date
See your road's shape
Prefer to explore first?
The Road of AgesThe turning points of your whole life, from your own chart
Walk my road
Free, by email
Your daily Almanac letter
One short letter at 7 each morning: the day’s theme read for your own chart, and one thing to do with it.
The story behind Perihelion
Kepler’s laws established that planets move fastest near perihelion.
A one-minute story
The Wandering Stars
How the moving planets were watched, named and found, and what a transit is.
Why Perihelion matters
Perihelion helps explain changing orbital speed, distance, and solar illumination.
Perihelion in practice: an example
Earth reaches perihelion during Northern Hemisphere winter, showing distance does not cause the seasons.
Where readings of Perihelion go wrong
Perihelion does not mean the Sun is overhead or locally hottest.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- NASA Science: Orbits and Kepler’s Laws - NASA explanation of orbital ellipses, orbital periods, and Kepler’s laws of planetary motion.
- NASA Science: Solar System Exploration - NASA overview of planets, moons, small bodies, rings, and the structure of the Solar System.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
See where an orbit nears the Sun
A definition tells you what it is; your own birth chart tells you what it means for you. The Oracle casts your real chart and answers for your love, your work, and your year ahead, in conversation. It opens with the 7-day Seeker trial.
Speak with the OracleRelated terms
More in Astronomy & Skywatching
- Red Supergiant
- Solar Photosphere
- Transit of Venus
- Apparent Field of View
- Bond Albedo
- Elliptical Galaxy
- Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
- Mean Anomaly
From the reference page to your own chart
Every word here
is in your own chart.
- A personal reading about love, work or purpose, written from your chart
- A practical next step to consider
- It opens with 7 days free, with the AI Oracle and daily guidance
$0 today, then $12/month after 7 days. Cancel anytime.
Common questions
What is perihelion?
Perihelion is the point where a heliocentric orbiting body is nearest the Sun.
What do people get wrong about perihelion?
Perihelion does not mean the Sun is overhead or locally hottest.
Free, by email
The Almanac, in your inbox at 7
One short letter at 7 each morning: the day’s theme read for your own chart, and one thing to do with it.
