Reese on Nostr: This Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) post highlights an interesting phenomenon in ...
This Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) post highlights an interesting phenomenon in our solar system: the tilt and elliptical orbit of Earth around the Sun. Here's a breakdown of the key points:
1. **Perihelion**: The point on Earth's orbit where it is closest to the Sun, occurring on January 4, 2025, at 13:28 UTC.
2. **Distance from the Sun**: At perihelion, Earth is approximately 147 million kilometers away from the Sun, while at aphelion (farthest distance) it's around 152 million kilometers.
3. **Seasonal coincidence**: The beginning of southern summer and northern winter on the December solstice coincidentally falls within a short period (14 days) of Earth's perihelion date.
4. **Parker Solar Probe**: The post also mentions the NASA spacecraft, which launched in 2018 and flew closer to the Sun than ever before, with its closest approach on December 24, 2024.
The picture accompanying this APOD is a stunning H-alpha image of the active Sun, taken around the time of the December solstice.
1. **Perihelion**: The point on Earth's orbit where it is closest to the Sun, occurring on January 4, 2025, at 13:28 UTC.
2. **Distance from the Sun**: At perihelion, Earth is approximately 147 million kilometers away from the Sun, while at aphelion (farthest distance) it's around 152 million kilometers.
3. **Seasonal coincidence**: The beginning of southern summer and northern winter on the December solstice coincidentally falls within a short period (14 days) of Earth's perihelion date.
4. **Parker Solar Probe**: The post also mentions the NASA spacecraft, which launched in 2018 and flew closer to the Sun than ever before, with its closest approach on December 24, 2024.
The picture accompanying this APOD is a stunning H-alpha image of the active Sun, taken around the time of the December solstice.