In early January, Earth reaches its closest point to the Sun for the entire year — a moment known as perihelion. At this time, the Sun’s apparent diameter in the sky is at its maximum. The Moscow Planetarium has announced that on January 3 the distance between Earth and the Sun will be just 147,099,586 kilometers, with the Sun’s angular diameter reaching 32 minutes and 35 seconds.

Why the Sun Looks Bigger in Winter

Earth’s orbit is elliptical rather than perfectly circular. At perihelion, the closest point, we are about 5 million kilometers nearer to the Sun than at aphelion in July. As a result, the Sun’s disk appears about 7 percent larger in January than in midsummer. The difference is especially noticeable in professional photographs, where the January Sun looks distinctly larger than its July counterpart.

However, this does not mean it is warmer in winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun sits much lower above the horizon, and its rays spread out and lose intensity as they pass through the atmosphere. The shape of Earth’s orbit plays only a minor role in the seasons; the primary cause is the tilt of Earth’s axis.

Other Astronomical Dates

Astronomical spring in Russia will begin on March 20 at 17:46 Moscow time, during the vernal equinox. On that day, the Sun will cross the celestial equator into the Northern Hemisphere, and day and night will be nearly equal in length across the globe. In the Southern Hemisphere, this marks the start of autumn.

How to Observe Safely

On January 3, the Sun will rise looking slightly larger and brighter than usual, but observing it directly is dangerous. Use certified solar filters or projection methods only. The planetarium recommends comparing January photos with ones taken in July to clearly see the difference in apparent size.

In Brief

On January 3, 2026, Earth reaches perihelion, placing the Sun at its minimum distance of about 147 million kilometers and its maximum apparent size of 32′35″. The difference compared to aphelion is visible in photographs but has no real effect on winter temperatures. The vernal equinox follows on March 20. January offers a chance to observe the “largest” Sun of the year — safely and with proper protection.