Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion: 1901 to 2000

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 16th Century (1901 to 2000). 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 363.04 to 367.97 days during the 20th Century.

Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion: 1901 to 1950

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
 
1901     Jan 02  20:19   0.9831914 AU  -14733 km      Jul 02  13:23   1.0167900 AU   11929 km     365.00 days
1902     Jan 01  07:24   0.9832281 AU   -9241 km      Jul 04  16:22   1.0167406 AU    4533 km     363.46 days
1903     Jan 04  00:43   0.9832749 AU   -2252 km      Jul 04  13:00   1.0167693 AU    8832 km     367.72 days
1904     Jan 03  04:16   0.9832188 AU  -10633 km      Jul 03  04:11   1.0167402 AU    4472 km     364.15 days
1905     Jan 01  04:27   0.9832758 AU   -2115 km      Jul 05  01:24   1.0167655 AU    8255 km     364.01 days
1906     Jan 03  16:35   0.9832681 AU   -3261 km      Jul 03  15:45   1.0167677 AU    8586 km     367.51 days
1907     Jan 02  07:28   0.9832276 AU   -9316 km      Jul 03  07:06   1.0166923 AU   -2686 km     363.62 days
1908     Jan 02  23:03   0.9832742 AU   -2351 km      Jul 05  15:46   1.0167554 AU    6744 km     365.65 days
1909     Jan 03  05:41   0.9832301 AU   -8954 km      Jul 02  18:55   1.0167778 AU   10104 km     366.28 days
1910     Jan 01  10:53   0.9832621 AU   -4162 km      Jul 04  04:08   1.0167249 AU    2188 km     363.22 days

1911     Jan 03  15:03   0.9833030 AU    1959 km      Jul 04  22:34   1.0167566 AU    6930 km     367.17 days
1912     Jan 03  10:44   0.9832088 AU  -12128 km      Jul 03  06:35   1.0167395 AU    4371 km     364.82 days
1913     Jan 01  02:21   0.9832361 AU   -8056 km      Jul 04  23:16   1.0167490 AU    5789 km     363.65 days
1914     Jan 03  20:51   0.9832570 AU   -4920 km      Jul 03  23:52   1.0167721 AU    9249 km     367.77 days
1915     Jan 02  18:04   0.9832246 AU   -9768 km      Jul 02  23:17   1.0167168 AU     979 km     363.88 days
1916     Jan 02  12:39   0.9832876 AU    -351 km      Jul 05  21:23   1.0167675 AU    8564 km     364.77 days
1917     Jan 03  10:55   0.9832535 AU   -5443 km      Jul 03  05:25   1.0167919 AU   12204 km     366.93 days
1918     Jan 01  16:59   0.9832532 AU   -5489 km      Jul 03  19:15   1.0167086 AU    -251 km     363.25 days
1919     Jan 03  08:24   0.9833075 AU    2636 km      Jul 05  07:46   1.0167242 AU    2083 km     366.64 days
1920     Jan 03  21:47   0.9832302 AU   -8927 km      Jul 03  09:29   1.0167203 AU    1499 km     365.56 days

1921     Jan 01  04:30   0.9832625 AU   -4104 km      Jul 04  14:10   1.0167211 AU    1617 km     363.28 days
1922     Jan 03  16:57   0.9833022 AU    1838 km      Jul 04  08:07   1.0167630 AU    7882 km     367.52 days
1923     Jan 02  23:22   0.9832262 AU   -9527 km      Jul 02  21:44   1.0167248 AU    2171 km     364.27 days
1924     Jan 02  01:54   0.9832468 AU   -6445 km      Jul 06  00:20   1.0167614 AU    7648 km     364.11 days
1925     Jan 03  15:41   0.9832164 AU  -10991 km      Jul 03  13:22   1.0168068 AU   14430 km     367.57 days
1926     Jan 02  03:36   0.9832127 AU  -11558 km      Jul 03  04:56   1.0167334 AU    3453 km     363.50 days
1927     Jan 03  01:35   0.9833015 AU    1737 km      Jul 05  13:59   1.0167498 AU    5910 km     365.92 days
1928     Jan 04  06:49   0.9832459 AU   -6591 km      Jul 03  18:07   1.0167580 AU    7130 km     366.22 days
1929     Jan 01  07:59   0.9832663 AU   -3537 km      Jul 04  10:48   1.0167239 AU    2039 km     363.05 days
1930     Jan 03  12:21   0.9833167 AU    4000 km      Jul 04  21:07   1.0167377 AU    4098 km     367.18 days

1931     Jan 03  10:38   0.9832422 AU   -7142 km      Jul 03  01:03   1.0166914 AU   -2829 km     364.93 days
1932     Jan 02  03:21   0.9832754 AU   -2175 km      Jul 05  22:29   1.0167095 AU    -113 km     363.70 days
1933     Jan 03  18:52   0.9832741 AU   -2363 km      Jul 03  20:29   1.0167758 AU    9793 km     367.65 days
1934     Jan 02  09:31   0.9832491 AU   -6105 km      Jul 02  19:47   1.0167261 AU    2371 km     363.61 days
1935     Jan 02  07:33   0.9833015 AU    1737 km      Jul 05  18:37   1.0167358 AU    3813 km     364.92 days
1936     Jan 04  09:51   0.9832193 AU  -10567 km      Jul 04  01:52   1.0167669 AU    8472 km     367.10 days
1937     Jan 01  14:15   0.9832104 AU  -11903 km      Jul 03  19:57   1.0167347 AU    3649 km     363.18 days
1938     Jan 03  08:02   0.9832856 AU    -643 km      Jul 05  03:51   1.0167584 AU    7197 km     366.74 days
1939     Jan 03  22:11   0.9832342 AU   -8334 km      Jul 03  04:07   1.0167388 AU    4260 km     365.59 days
1940     Jan 02  05:26   0.9832719 AU   -2692 km      Jul 05  19:54   1.0167371 AU    4007 km     363.30 days

1941     Jan 03  18:10   0.9832868 AU    -460 km      Jul 04  09:48   1.0167856 AU   11269 km     367.53 days
1942     Jan 02  19:15   0.9832499 AU   -5991 km      Jul 02  22:52   1.0167158 AU     823 km     364.05 days
1943     Jan 02  04:35   0.9833055 AU    2335 km      Jul 06  00:05   1.0166911 AU   -2866 km     364.39 days
1944     Jan 04  17:36   0.9832622 AU   -4150 km      Jul 04  10:27   1.0167341 AU    3562 km     367.54 days
1945     Jan 01  22:45   0.9832545 AU   -5300 km      Jul 03  05:33   1.0167082 AU    -313 km     363.21 days
1946     Jan 02  17:52   0.9833323 AU    6346 km      Jul 05  10:02   1.0167293 AU    2847 km     365.80 days
1947     Jan 04  02:45   0.9832523 AU   -5624 km      Jul 03  10:39   1.0167303 AU    2988 km     366.37 days
1948     Jan 02  05:10   0.9832389 AU   -7638 km      Jul 05  10:38   1.0167182 AU    1183 km     363.10 days
1949     Jan 03  13:30   0.9832628 AU   -4058 km      Jul 04  17:28   1.0167827 AU   10829 km     367.35 days
1950     Jan 03  06:17   0.9832274 AU   -9346 km      Jul 02  20:44   1.0167420 AU    4740 km     364.70 days

Earth at Perihelion and Aphelion: 1951 to 2000

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
  
1951     Jan 02  03:51   0.9832937 AU     571 km      Jul 05  22:31   1.0167154 AU     758 km     363.90 days
1952     Jan 04  20:41   0.9832759 AU   -2091 km      Jul 04  20:54   1.0167698 AU    8904 km     367.70 days
1953     Jan 02  06:37   0.9832440 AU   -6866 km      Jul 03  02:18   1.0167280 AU    2650 km     363.41 days
1954     Jan 02  08:19   0.9833187 AU    4300 km      Jul 05  18:19   1.0167122 AU     281 km     365.07 days
1955     Jan 04  12:21   0.9832563 AU   -5030 km      Jul 03  19:54   1.0167144 AU     618 km     367.17 days
1956     Jan 02  13:23   0.9832531 AU   -5501 km      Jul 04  22:04   1.0166940 AU   -2429 km     363.04 days
1957     Jan 03  06:30   0.9833111 AU    3171 km      Jul 05  01:12   1.0167619 AU    7713 km     366.71 days
1958     Jan 03  13:24   0.9832623 AU   -4138 km      Jul 03  00:21   1.0167386 AU    4241 km     365.29 days
1959     Jan 02  00:17   0.9832843 AU    -836 km      Jul 05  19:54   1.0166978 AU   -1862 km     363.45 days
1960     Jan 04  18:52   0.9832551 AU   -5203 km      Jul 05  06:34   1.0167629 AU    7874 km     367.77 days

1961     Jan 02  16:47   0.9832087 AU  -12156 km      Jul 02  21:33   1.0167389 AU    4286 km     363.91 days
1962     Jan 02  04:48   0.9832989 AU    1346 km      Jul 05  19:52   1.0167187 AU    1253 km     364.50 days
1963     Jan 04  19:36   0.9832733 AU   -2479 km      Jul 04  04:48   1.0167436 AU    4978 km     367.62 days
1964     Jan 02  20:44   0.9832649 AU   -3750 km      Jul 04  13:27   1.0167151 AU     720 km     363.05 days
1965     Jan 02  19:17   0.9833204 AU    4560 km      Jul 05  12:06   1.0167501 AU    5953 km     365.94 days
1966     Jan 03  22:47   0.9832702 AU   -2947 km      Jul 03  08:21   1.0167214 AU    1661 km     366.15 days
1967     Jan 02  05:55   0.9832885 AU    -212 km      Jul 05  11:51   1.0166585 AU   -7743 km     363.30 days
1968     Jan 04  18:02   0.9832946 AU     704 km      Jul 05  14:28   1.0167341 AU    3568 km     367.51 days
1969     Jan 03  01:06   0.9832490 AU   -6115 km      Jul 02  19:55   1.0167349 AU    3684 km     364.29 days
1970     Jan 01  21:09   0.9833089 AU    2838 km      Jul 05  19:53   1.0167058 AU    -668 km     363.84 days

1971     Jan 04  18:31   0.9832661 AU   -3561 km      Jul 04  14:50   1.0167475 AU    5571 km     367.89 days
1972     Jan 03  04:14   0.9832157 AU  -11104 km      Jul 04  04:14   1.0167272 AU    2532 km     363.40 days
1973     Jan 02  11:59   0.9832765 AU   -2001 km      Jul 05  16:58   1.0167541 AU    6559 km     365.32 days
1974     Jan 04  09:40   0.9832624 AU   -4124 km      Jul 03  14:58   1.0167524 AU    6301 km     366.90 days
1975     Jan 02  12:56   0.9832890 AU    -132 km      Jul 05  01:26   1.0166830 AU   -4087 km     363.14 days
1976     Jan 04  11:04   0.9833199 AU    4479 km      Jul 06  02:35   1.0167446 AU    5136 km     366.92 days
1977     Jan 03  09:54   0.9832624 AU   -4110 km      Jul 03  03:20   1.0167300 AU    2944 km     364.95 days
1978     Jan 01  23:18   0.9833110 AU    3155 km      Jul 05  20:28   1.0166612 AU   -7348 km     363.56 days
1979     Jan 04  22:35   0.9832993 AU    1409 km      Jul 05  00:18   1.0167052 AU    -768 km     367.97 days
1980     Jan 03  14:44   0.9832552 AU   -5196 km      Jul 03  21:03   1.0167008 AU   -1416 km     363.67 days

1981     Jan 02  01:41   0.9833194 AU    4405 km      Jul 05  17:43   1.0167253 AU    2243 km     364.46 days
1982     Jan 04  11:19   0.9832949 AU     742 km      Jul 03  23:03   1.0167485 AU    5722 km     367.40 days
1983     Jan 02  15:16   0.9832632 AU   -3992 km      Jul 04  13:30   1.0166833 AU   -4034 km     363.16 days
1984     Jan 03  21:59   0.9832787 AU   -1684 km      Jul 06  09:59   1.0167444 AU    5097 km     366.28 days
1985     Jan 03  19:53   0.9832213 AU  -10272 km      Jul 03  06:22   1.0167586 AU    7228 km     365.91 days
1986     Jan 02  04:54   0.9832788 AU   -1669 km      Jul 05  10:16   1.0166890 AU   -3186 km     363.38 days
1987     Jan 04  23:02   0.9833010 AU    1658 km      Jul 05  10:05   1.0167447 AU    5142 km     367.76 days
1988     Jan 03  23:58   0.9832521 AU   -5657 km      Jul 04  01:01   1.0167374 AU    4056 km     364.04 days
1989     Jan 01  21:52   0.9833082 AU    2730 km      Jul 05  23:56   1.0167174 AU    1061 km     363.91 days
1990     Jan 04  17:23   0.9833028 AU    1927 km      Jul 04  11:33   1.0167235 AU    1972 km     367.81 days

1991     Jan 03  02:59   0.9832809 AU   -1355 km      Jul 04  05:04   1.0166521 AU   -8709 km     363.40 days
1992     Jan 03  15:02   0.9833240 AU    5093 km      Jul 06  15:26   1.0167028 AU   -1126 km     365.50 days
1993     Jan 04  03:04   0.9832826 AU   -1090 km      Jul 03  12:07   1.0167400 AU    4445 km     366.50 days
1994     Jan 02  05:54   0.9833013 AU    1700 km      Jul 04  22:21   1.0166663 AU   -6575 km     363.12 days
1995     Jan 04  11:05   0.9833023 AU    1858 km      Jul 05  19:17   1.0167240 AU    2052 km     367.22 days
1996     Jan 04  07:25   0.9832228 AU  -10040 km      Jul 04  02:17   1.0167418 AU    4716 km     364.85 days
1997     Jan 01  23:16   0.9832674 AU   -3368 km      Jul 05  19:00   1.0167173 AU    1052 km     363.66 days
1998     Jan 04  21:15   0.9832998 AU    1474 km      Jul 04  19:19   1.0167536 AU    6478 km     367.92 days
1999     Jan 03  13:00   0.9832809 AU   -1348 km      Jul 03  23:50   1.0166963 AU   -2088 km     363.66 days
2000     Jan 03  05:18   0.9833214 AU    4711 km      Jul 03  23:49   1.0167411 AU    4607 km     364.68 days

Extreme Perihelion and Aphelion

The extremes in Earth's perihelion and aphelion distances for the 19th 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: 1901 to 2000

                                      Date        GMT         Distance       Relative to
                                                                              Mean Per.

           Minimum Perihelion:    1901 Jan 02   20:19       0.9831914 AU     -14733 km
           Maximum Perihelion:    1946 Jan 02   17:52       0.9833323 AU       6346 km

                           Range of Perihelion:       0.0001409 AU      21080 km

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

Extreme Intervals Between Perihelions of Earth: 1901 to 2000

         
                                Date        GMT         Distance        Relative to    Perihelion
                                                                         Mean Per.      Interval

        Minimum Interval:    1956 Jan 02   13:23       0.9832531 AU      -5501 km     363.04 days
        Maximum Interval:    1979 Jan 04   22:35       0.9832993 AU       1409 km     367.97 days


Extreme Aphelions of Earth: 1901 to 2000

                                    Date        GMT         Distance       Relative to
                                                                             Mean Ap.

           Minimum Aphelion:    1990 Jul 04   05:04       1.0166521 AU      -8709 km
           Maximum Aphelion:    1924 Jul 03   13:22       1.0168068 AU      14430 km

                             Range of Aphelion:       0.0001547 AU      23139 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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