Earth will reach aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun in its orbit, this month. Contrary to common belief, this doesn't correlate with summer temperatures; the Earth was actually closest to the sun in January, during perihelion. Aphelion occurs due to Earth’s elliptical orbit, meaning its distance from the sun varies throughout the year. At aphelion, Earth is approximately 152.1 million kilometers (94.5 million miles) from the sun, about 3% farther than its average distance. This greater distance has a minimal effect on global temperatures, as seasons are caused by the Earth’s axial tilt. The exact date of aphelion varies slightly each year, but generally falls around the beginning of July. This astronomical event is a normal part of Earth's annual journey around the sun.