Doha: The Qatar Calendar House announced that Earth will reach its closest point to the Sun, known as perihelion, on Saturday evening, January 3, 2026. At this time, the Earth will be approximately 147 million kilometers from the Sun, which is about five million kilometers closer than its position in July of the previous year. According to Qatar News Agency, Dr. Bashir Marzouq, an astronomy expert at the Qatar Calendar House, explained that Earth reaches perihelion every January, while it reaches its farthest orbital point, known as aphelion, in July. He clarified that the fluctuations in Earth's distance from the Sun do not cause climate changes on Earth but are significant in determining the lengths of the four seasons. Dr. Marzouq highlighted a notable contradiction, as Earth is closest to the Sun in January, during winter in the Northern Hemisphere, yet temperatures remain low. This is because the Sun's rays strike at a more oblique angle, traveling a longer path through the atmosphere and losing heat. In contrast, during July, when Earth is farthest from the Sun, the rays fall more directly, resulting in higher temperatures. The reverse is true for the Southern Hemisphere. He further noted that Earth's orbit around the Sun is elliptical, with perihelion and aphelion representing the nearest and farthest points, respectively, and emphasized that this natural phenomenon does not negatively impact the planet's inhabitants.
