When Earth Is Farthest From The | Sun [hot]

While distance doesn’t cause the seasons, aphelion does have a subtle moderating effect. The total solar energy Earth receives drops by about 7% between January (perihelion) and July (aphelion). This means that, all else being equal, Northern Hemisphere summers are slightly cooler, and winters slightly milder, than they would be if Earth’s orbit were a perfect circle. The Southern Hemisphere experiences more extreme seasonal contrasts—hotter summers and colder winters—due to being closer to the Sun during its summer.