Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion: 2001 to 2100

Greenwich Mean Time



Introduction

Earth revolves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit with a mean eccentricity of 0.0167. As a result, Earth’s distance from the Sun (center-to-center) varies with mean values of 0.9832899 AU (147,098,074 km) at perihelion (closest) to 1.0167103 AU (152,097,701 km) at aphelion (most distant).

Due of the gravitational perturbation of the Moon (and to a much lesser extent the planets), Earth's actual distance at perihelion can vary from 0.9831914 AU (147,083,346 km) to 0.9833860 AU (147,112,452 km). This a range of 0.0001946 AU (29,106 km), which corresponds to about 2.28 times the 12,756 km equatorial diameter of Earth.

Similarly, the aphelion distance can vary from 1.0166125 AU (152,083,061 km) to 1.0168068 AU (152,112,126 km). This a range of 0.0001943 AU (29,065 km), also corresponding to about 2.28 times the 12,756 km equatorial diameter of Earth.

These extreme values of perihelion and aphelion were found over the 200-year period 1901 to 2100.

The table presented below gives the date and time (Greenwich Mean Time) of all perihelions and aphelions of Earth for the 21st Century (2001-2100). If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. For conversion to other time zones, see Time Zones and Universal Time.

The distances of perihelion and aphelion are given in Astronomical Units (AU), as well as the relative distance of each (in kilometers) with respect to their mean distances. Finally, the number of days elapsed between the current and previous perihelion is given. This interval ranges from 363.08 to 367.86 days during the 21st Century.

Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion: 2001 to 2050

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)


Year      Date/Time of    Distance     Relative to     Date/Time of    Distance     Relative to    Perihelion
           Perihelion                    Mean Per.       Aphelion                     Mean Ap.      Interval
 
2001     Jan 04  08:52   0.9832860 AU    -582 km      Jul 04  13:37   1.0166426 AU  -10122 km     367.15 days
2002     Jan 02  14:09   0.9832898 AU     -20 km      Jul 06  03:47   1.0166882 AU   -3304 km     363.22 days
2003     Jan 04  05:02   0.9833204 AU    4556 km      Jul 04  05:40   1.0167282 AU    2683 km     366.62 days
2004     Jan 04  17:42   0.9832648 AU   -3752 km      Jul 05  10:54   1.0166937 AU   -2485 km     365.53 days
2005     Jan 02  00:35   0.9832968 AU    1032 km      Jul 05  04:58   1.0167416 AU    4683 km     363.29 days
2006     Jan 04  15:30   0.9833270 AU    5543 km      Jul 03  23:10   1.0166973 AU   -1949 km     367.62 days
2007     Jan 03  19:43   0.9832602 AU   -4449 km      Jul 06  23:53   1.0167059 AU    -649 km     364.18 days
2008     Jan 02  23:51   0.9832801 AU   -1476 km      Jul 04  07:41   1.0167535 AU    6465 km     364.17 days
2009     Jan 04  15:30   0.9832730 AU   -2526 km      Jul 04  01:40   1.0166664 AU   -6563 km     367.65 days
2010     Jan 03  00:09   0.9832897 AU     -38 km      Jul 06  11:30   1.0167020 AU   -1246 km     363.36 days

2011     Jan 03  18:32   0.9833413 AU    7681 km      Jul 04  14:54   1.0167404 AU    4501 km     365.77 days
2012     Jan 05  00:32   0.9832841 AU    -871 km      Jul 05  03:32   1.0166751 AU   -5270 km     366.25 days
2013     Jan 02  04:38   0.9832905 AU      82 km      Jul 05  14:44   1.0167085 AU    -268 km     363.17 days
2014     Jan 04  11:59   0.9833347 AU    6701 km      Jul 04  00:13   1.0166816 AU   -4287 km     367.31 days
2015     Jan 04  06:36   0.9832774 AU   -1874 km      Jul 06  19:40   1.0166821 AU   -4214 km     364.78 days
2016     Jan 02  22:49   0.9833039 AU    2097 km      Jul 04  16:24   1.0167509 AU    6080 km     363.68 days
2017     Jan 04  14:18   0.9833094 AU    2919 km      Jul 03  20:11   1.0166756 AU   -5190 km     367.65 days
2018     Jan 03  05:35   0.9832843 AU    -845 km      Jul 06  16:47   1.0166961 AU   -2129 km     363.64 days
2019     Jan 03  05:20   0.9833012 AU    1681 km      Jul 04  22:11   1.0167543 AU    6590 km     364.99 days
2020     Jan 05  07:48   0.9832436 AU   -6935 km      Jul 04  11:35   1.0166943 AU   -2399 km     367.10 days

2021     Jan 02  13:51   0.9832571 AU   -4916 km      Jul 05  22:27   1.0167292 AU    2832 km     363.25 days
2022     Jan 04  06:55   0.9833365 AU    6973 km      Jul 04  07:11   1.0167154 AU     760 km     366.71 days
2023     Jan 04  16:17   0.9832956 AU     845 km      Jul 06  20:07   1.0166806 AU   -4444 km     365.39 days
2024     Jan 03  00:39   0.9833070 AU    2553 km      Jul 05  05:06   1.0167255 AU    2273 km     363.35 days
2025     Jan 04  13:28   0.9833274 AU    5607 km      Jul 03  19:55   1.0166437 AU   -9957 km     367.53 days
2026     Jan 03  17:16   0.9833021 AU    1815 km      Jul 06  17:31   1.0166440 AU   -9920 km     364.16 days
2027     Jan 03  02:33   0.9833335 AU    6513 km      Jul 05  05:06   1.0167289 AU    2786 km     364.39 days
2028     Jan 05  12:28   0.9833074 AU    2608 km      Jul 03  22:18   1.0166798 AU   -4566 km     367.41 days
2029     Jan 02  18:13   0.9832917 AU     270 km      Jul 06  05:12   1.0167127 AU     362 km     363.24 days
2030     Jan 03  10:12   0.9833418 AU    7758 km      Jul 04  12:58   1.0167227 AU    1848 km     365.67 days

2031     Jan 04  20:48   0.9832664 AU   -3516 km      Jul 06  07:10   1.0166882 AU   -3308 km     366.44 days
2032     Jan 03  05:11   0.9832469 AU   -6437 km      Jul 05  11:54   1.0167510 AU    6086 km     363.35 days
2033     Jan 04  11:51   0.9832989 AU    1350 km      Jul 03  20:52   1.0166936 AU   -2494 km     367.28 days
2034     Jan 04  04:47   0.9832893 AU     -89 km      Jul 06  18:49   1.0166703 AU   -5979 km     364.71 days
2035     Jan 03  00:54   0.9833249 AU    5238 km      Jul 05  18:22   1.0167406 AU    4539 km     363.84 days
2036     Jan 05  14:17   0.9833202 AU    4530 km      Jul 03  21:17   1.0166633 AU   -7033 km     367.56 days
2037     Jan 03  04:00   0.9832889 AU    -152 km      Jul 06  12:05   1.0166651 AU   -6753 km     363.57 days
2038     Jan 03  05:01   0.9833549 AU    9718 km      Jul 04  19:46   1.0166909 AU   -2904 km     365.04 days
2039     Jan 05  06:41   0.9833113 AU    3192 km      Jul 05  13:25   1.0166588 AU   -7700 km     367.07 days
2040     Jan 03  11:33   0.9832937 AU     557 km      Jul 05  19:02   1.0167271 AU    2517 km     363.20 days

2041     Jan 03  21:52   0.9833471 AU    8554 km      Jul 04  01:38   1.0166887 AU   -3235 km     366.43 days
2042     Jan 04  09:07   0.9833014 AU    1723 km      Jul 06  13:10   1.0166554 AU   -8212 km     365.47 days
2043     Jan 02  22:15   0.9832882 AU    -257 km      Jul 06  02:25   1.0167441 AU    5064 km     363.55 days
2044     Jan 05  12:52   0.9832896 AU     -44 km      Jul 03  15:24   1.0166960 AU   -2140 km     367.61 days
2045     Jan 03  14:56   0.9832653 AU   -3677 km      Jul 06  12:51   1.0166888 AU   -3210 km     364.09 days
2046     Jan 03  00:58   0.9833451 AU    8247 km      Jul 05  06:06   1.0167265 AU    2432 km     364.42 days
2047     Jan 05  11:44   0.9833216 AU    4738 km      Jul 05  06:32   1.0166728 AU   -5608 km     367.45 days
2048     Jan 03  18:05   0.9832818 AU   -1219 km      Jul 06  05:08   1.0167072 AU    -469 km     363.26 days
2049     Jan 03  10:27   0.9833342 AU    6626 km      Jul 04  09:06   1.0166722 AU   -5702 km     365.68 days
2050     Jan 04  19:35   0.9833060 AU    2411 km      Jul 06  01:57   1.0166285 AU  -12240 km     366.38 days

Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion: 2051 to 2100

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)


Year      Date/Time of    Distance     Relative to     Date/Time of    Distance     Relative to    Perihelion
           Perihelion                    Mean Per.       Aphelion                     Mean Ap.      Interval
  
2051     Jan 03  05:32   0.9833050 AU    2251 km      Jul 06  10:24   1.0167252 AU    2227 km     363.41 days
2052     Jan 05  09:18   0.9833360 AU    6893 km      Jul 03  16:38   1.0166952 AU   -2264 km     367.16 days
2053     Jan 03  22:18   0.9833000 AU    1504 km      Jul 06  12:30   1.0166678 AU   -6362 km     364.54 days
2054     Jan 02  17:59   0.9833360 AU    6895 km      Jul 05  15:41   1.0167191 AU    1318 km     363.82 days
2055     Jan 05  12:24   0.9833059 AU    2395 km      Jul 04  20:52   1.0166803 AU   -4482 km     367.77 days
2056     Jan 04  03:44   0.9832510 AU   -5819 km      Jul 06  08:54   1.0167106 AU      46 km     363.64 days
2057     Jan 03  03:11   0.9833268 AU    5516 km      Jul 04  16:41   1.0167009 AU   -1403 km     364.98 days
2058     Jan 05  04:00   0.9833282 AU    5720 km      Jul 05  15:42   1.0166423 AU  -10172 km     367.03 days
2059     Jan 03  10:44   0.9833125 AU    3381 km      Jul 06  21:25   1.0167173 AU    1052 km     363.28 days
2060     Jan 04  22:56   0.9833475 AU    8619 km      Jul 03  22:59   1.0166774 AU   -4915 km     366.51 days

2061     Jan 04  07:33   0.9833020 AU    1806 km      Jul 06  07:20   1.0166276 AU  -12369 km     365.36 days
2062     Jan 02  21:16   0.9833381 AU    7207 km      Jul 05  23:47   1.0166934 AU   -2533 km     363.57 days
2063     Jan 05  13:41   0.9833456 AU    8334 km      Jul 04  15:21   1.0166766 AU   -5045 km     367.68 days
2064     Jan 04  11:54   0.9832847 AU    -786 km      Jul 06  10:56   1.0166970 AU   -1992 km     363.93 days
2065     Jan 02  15:10   0.9833376 AU    7138 km      Jul 05  01:37   1.0167053 AU    -750 km     364.14 days
2066     Jan 05  05:45   0.9833176 AU    4133 km      Jul 05  01:43   1.0166501 AU   -8997 km     367.61 days
2067     Jan 03  17:05   0.9832582 AU   -4744 km      Jul 07  03:13   1.0167272 AU    2531 km     363.47 days
2068     Jan 04  14:29   0.9833105 AU    3072 km      Jul 04  04:07   1.0167116 AU     199 km     365.89 days
2069     Jan 04  18:25   0.9832922 AU     337 km      Jul 05  23:15   1.0166518 AU   -8751 km     366.16 days
2070     Jan 03  02:51   0.9833399 AU    7483 km      Jul 06  12:01   1.0167077 AU    -393 km     363.35 days

2071     Jan 05  09:44   0.9833695 AU   11908 km      Jul 04  20:40   1.0166728 AU   -5609 km     367.29 days
2072     Jan 04  21:02   0.9832971 AU    1072 km      Jul 06  13:26   1.0166524 AU   -8662 km     364.47 days
2073     Jan 02  14:41   0.9833422 AU    7822 km      Jul 05  10:53   1.0166638 AU   -6961 km     363.74 days
2074     Jan 05  11:25   0.9833539 AU    9572 km      Jul 04  14:25   1.0166238 AU  -12938 km     367.86 days
2075     Jan 04  02:14   0.9832991 AU    1365 km      Jul 07  06:43   1.0166985 AU   -1761 km     363.62 days
2076     Jan 03  23:33   0.9833490 AU    8835 km      Jul 04  11:19   1.0167123 AU     305 km     364.89 days
2077     Jan 04  20:53   0.9833166 AU    3993 km      Jul 05  10:10   1.0166495 AU   -9098 km     366.89 days
2078     Jan 03  04:23   0.9833051 AU    2270 km      Jul 06  19:39   1.0167126 AU     345 km     363.31 days
2079     Jan 05  00:15   0.9833227 AU    4909 km      Jul 04  21:26   1.0167068 AU    -523 km     366.83 days
2080     Jan 05  07:55   0.9832554 AU   -5168 km      Jul 06  06:41   1.0166794 AU   -4615 km     365.32 days

2081     Jan 02  18:56   0.9833124 AU    3361 km      Jul 05  21:26   1.0167017 AU   -1279 km     363.46 days
2082     Jan 05  13:51   0.9833623 AU   10833 km      Jul 04  16:22   1.0166536 AU   -8487 km     367.79 days
2083     Jan 04  11:28   0.9833035 AU    2033 km      Jul 07  15:14   1.0166815 AU   -4301 km     363.90 days
2084     Jan 03  16:49   0.9833426 AU    7884 km      Jul 04  22:43   1.0166848 AU   -3810 km     364.22 days
2085     Jan 05  04:33   0.9833329 AU    6434 km      Jul 04  21:34   1.0166125 AU  -14634 km     367.49 days
2086     Jan 03  15:22   0.9833259 AU    5374 km      Jul 07  01:39   1.0166728 AU   -5611 km     363.45 days
2087     Jan 04  16:38   0.9833750 AU   12726 km      Jul 05  02:06   1.0166928 AU   -2610 km     366.05 days
2088     Jan 05  14:59   0.9833139 AU    3590 km      Jul 05  22:11   1.0166542 AU   -8395 km     365.93 days
2089     Jan 02  17:01   0.9833327 AU    6395 km      Jul 06  07:15   1.0166832 AU   -4055 km     363.08 days
2090     Jan 05  04:45   0.9833638 AU   11046 km      Jul 04  15:09   1.0166552 AU   -8248 km     367.49 days

2091     Jan 04  19:22   0.9832678 AU   -3302 km      Jul 07  12:55   1.0166834 AU   -4023 km     364.61 days
2092     Jan 03  15:29   0.9833054 AU    2322 km      Jul 05  05:57   1.0167147 AU     664 km     363.84 days
2093     Jan 05  10:16   0.9833305 AU    6064 km      Jul 04  13:21   1.0166530 AU   -8569 km     367.78 days
2094     Jan 04  00:17   0.9833211 AU    4659 km      Jul 07  10:07   1.0166881 AU   -3317 km     363.58 days
2095     Jan 04  03:56   0.9833712 AU   12160 km      Jul 05  13:09   1.0166974 AU   -1921 km     365.15 days
2096     Jan 05  21:56   0.9833078 AU    2680 km      Jul 05  13:39   1.0166308 AU  -11885 km     366.75 days
2097     Jan 03  00:52   0.9833196 AU    4443 km      Jul 06  16:04   1.0166528 AU   -8598 km     363.12 days
2098     Jan 05  02:34   0.9833866 AU   14468 km      Jul 04  16:43   1.0166432 AU  -10036 km     367.07 days
2099     Jan 05  06:18   0.9833081 AU    2725 km      Jul 07  08:08   1.0166617 AU   -7271 km     365.16 days
2100     Jan 03  13:54   0.9833398 AU    7460 km      Jul 06  15:58   1.0167027 AU   -1130 km     363.32 days

Extreme Perihelion and Aphelion

The extremes in Earth's perihelion and aphelion distances for the 21st Century are listed below. Earth’s mean distance from the Sun at perihelion is 0.9832899 AU (147,098,074 km). Earth’s mean distance from the Sun at aphelion is 1.0167103 AU (152,097,701 km).

Extreme Perihelions of Earth: 2001 to 2100

                                      Date        GMT         Distance       Relative to
                                                                              Mean Per.

            Minimum Perihelion:    2020 Jan 05   07:48       0.9832436 AU      -6935 km
            Maximum Perihelion:    2098 Jan 05   02:34       0.9833866 AU      14468 km

                           Range of Perihelion:       0.0001431 AU      21403 km

Earth’s mean distance from the Sun at perihelion is 0.9832899 AU (147,098,074 km).

Extreme Intervals Between Perihelions of Earth: 2001 to 2100

         
                                Date        GMT         Distance        Relative to    Perihelion
                                                                         Mean Per.      Interval

        Minimum Interval:    2089 Jan 02   17:01       0.9833327 AU       6395 km     363.08 days
        Maximum Interval:    2074 Jan 05   11:25       0.9833539 AU       9572 km     367.86 days

Extreme Aphelions of Earth: 2001 to 2100

                                    Date        GMT         Distance       Relative to
                                                                             Mean Ap.

            Minimum Aphelion:    2085 Jul 04   21:34       1.0166125 AU     -14634 km
            Maximum Aphelion:    2019 Jul 04   22:11       1.0167543 AU       6590 km


                             Range of Aphelion:       0.0001419 AU      21225 km


         Earth’s mean distance from the Sun at aphelion is 1.0167103 AU (152,097,701 km).

Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion

Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion for other centuries from 1501 through 2500 can be found via the following links.


| 1501-1600 | 1601-1700 | 1701-1800 | 1801-1900 | 1901-2000 |
| 2001-2100 | 2101-2200 | 2201-2300 | 2301-2400 | 2401-2500 |


Acknowledgement

All calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy. The JPL DE405 is used to predict the times and distances of Earth at perihelion and aphelion.

Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by the acknowledgment:

    "Earth perihelion and aphelion Table Courtesy of Fred Espenak, www.Astropixels.com".


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