Why Is It So Hot on Earth When We’re Farthest from the Sun?

As summer heats up in the Northern Hemisphere, an interesting event just occurred. On Thursday at 3:55 p.m. ET, Earth reached aphelion, the point in its orbit farthest from the sun. It’s about 3 million miles deeper into space than when we’re closest, which happens in January. You might think this distance would make summer cooler, but that’s not the case at all.

Many people believe that being closer to the sun makes it warmer. But the truth is, Earth’s tilt plays a much bigger role in our seasonal changes. The planet sits at an angle of about 23.5 degrees. This tilt means different parts of the Earth get varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. During July, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun, giving us longer days and more direct sunlight, which creates summer heat.

In contrast, Earth’s orbit is only slightly oval. The distance changes between aphelion and perihelion (the closest point) matter less than you might think. Right now, we’re about 3.1 million miles farther from the sun than in January. That’s only a 3.3% difference compared to our average distance of about 93 million miles.

Even with this change, the sunlight reaching us drops by around 7%. But that’s tiny compared to the effect of the tilt. For example, cities like Houston and Phoenix receive more than double the solar energy in summer compared to winter. In places like New York and Denver, solar energy jumps from about 145 watts per square meter in winter to around 430 in summer—nearly a 300% increase.

So, while it’s true we’re a bit farther from the sun right now, the tilt of the Earth has a much more significant impact on our weather and seasons. It’s not the distance that shapes a hot summer; it’s how we angle ourselves toward the sun.

In summary, Earth’s tilt matters much more than its distance from the sun in determining seasonal weather. Understanding this can help clear up feelings of confusion around seasonal changes.

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