Earth farthest from sun for 2011 on July 4

On July 4, our planet Earth reaches its most distant point from the sun for 2011. Astronomers call this point "aphelion," and, at aphelion we're about three million miles farther from the sun than we will be six months from now.

Today, our planet Earth reaches its most distant point from the sun for this year. After the distant sun sets tonight, look for the waxing crescent moon and the star Regulus to pop out into the western evening sky.
Regulus: Lion Heart
Astronomers call this farthest point aphelion, and, at aphelion we’re about three million miles farther from the sun than we will be six months from now. That’s in contrast to our average distance from the sun of about 93 million miles. Looking for Earth’s exact distance from the sun today? It’s at 94,511,923 miles. Last year, on July 6, 2010, the Earth at aphelion was a tiny bit closer, at 94,508,351 miles away.
We’re always farthest from the sun in July during a northern hemisphere summer – and closest in January during a northern hemisphere winter – and that’s a good illustration of the fact that it’s not the Earth’s distance from the sun that creates the ...