On January 3, 2026, the sun will seem bigger in the sky. This happens because Earth will be at its closest point to the sun, an event called perihelion. During the year, our planet orbits the sun at an average distance of about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers), but this path isn’t a perfect circle. Instead, it’s oval-shaped, which means our distance from the sun changes. It can vary by about 3% throughout the year.
At 12:15 p.m. EST (1715 GMT) on that day, Earth will be about 91,498,806 miles (147,253,054 kilometers) from the sun. It’s a small difference compared to when we’re at aphelion, the point farthest from the sun, about 3.1 million miles (5 million kilometers) farther away.
Through a good telescope with a proper solar filter, you might notice the sun looks a tiny bit larger at perihelion. Its size in the sky changes from about 31 arcminutes and 27 arcseconds at aphelion to 32 arcminutes and 31 arcseconds at perihelion, according to data from In-The-Sky. However, this slight difference has no real impact on Earth’s climate or seasons. The changing seasons are more about Earth’s tilt, which is 23.4 degrees, than about its distance from the sun.
It’s important to remember that viewing the sun directly—whether with your eyes or through regular telescopes or binoculars—is dangerous and can cause permanent vision loss. Always use proper safety equipment to look at the sun safely.
As we approach this celestial event, it’s interesting to see how people react. Many are curious and share their thoughts on social media about the sun’s size and the science behind it. Events like these spark discussions about astronomy and our place in the universe, reminding us of the wonders of space.
While the sun’s size changes slightly with our distance, it’s good to reflect on how these small astronomical events connect with the broader patterns of climate and nature. The more we learn, the better we appreciate the complexity of our solar system.
