Earth Reaches Annual Aphelion, Its Farthest Point from the Sun

Despite being 94.5 million miles away, Earth's distance from the sun does not dictate seasonal changes.

Aphelion occurs every July due to Earth's elliptical orbit, making it 3 million miles farther from the sun than in January.
The sun appears about 4% smaller in the sky during aphelion, but this difference is imperceptible without instruments.
Seasonal changes are caused by Earth's axial tilt, not its varying distance from the sun.
Northern Hemisphere experiences milder summers and winters, while Southern Hemisphere sees slightly cooler winters and warmer summers.
Earth's orbit is gradually becoming more circular, reducing the impact of aphelion over time.