Astronomy Practice Exam

What event occurs when the Earth is closest to the Sun?

1. Winter solstice

2. Perihelion

3. Equinox

4. Solstice

The correct answer is: Perihelion

The event that occurs when the Earth is closest to the Sun is known as perihelion. This term comes from the Greek words "peri," meaning near, and "helios," meaning sun. Perihelion typically occurs around early January each year. During this event, the Earth is about 91.4 million miles away from the Sun, which is a slightly shorter distance than at other times of the year. Understanding perihelion is important, as it relates to the elliptical shape of Earth’s orbit around the Sun, which means that the distance between them varies throughout the year. While seasonal changes do occur due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, the distance from the Sun at perihelion does not have a significant impact on seasonal weather. Instead, it is the tilt of the Earth's axis that leads to the variations in seasons. The other options pertain to different astronomical events such as solstices and equinoxes, which are related to the angle and position of Earth's tilt in relation to the Sun, but they do not specifically describe the point in the orbit where Earth is closest to the Sun.