Happy Perihelion Day!

[bjarvis]

A friend whose business is to know these things assures me that at 3 PM today, the earth will have its closest approach to the sun. This may appear as little more than a cruel joke to areas of the planet currently under several feet of snow, but it's an excuse for a party. Break out the tropical hats, bermuda shorts and froo-froo umbrella drinkies!

And start planning for Aphelion Day, July 7!

Comments

[furmuslbulk.livejournal.com]

hmm how much closer are we now compared to July 7th?

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

The difference is about 5 million kilometers, about a 3% variation.

[ted-badger.livejournal.com]

In the present epoch the eccentricity of Earth's orbit is approximately

e=0.017

...to be snooty and mathy about it :-)