MOSCOW: On January 3, Earth will reach its closest point to the Sun, causing the Sun’s diameter to appear slightly larger in professional ...
MOSCOW: On January 3, Earth will reach its closest point to the Sun, causing the Sun’s diameter to appear slightly larger in professional photographs than in July, when the distance between them is at its maximum, the press service of the Moscow Planetarium told TASS.
The difference between the Sun's diameters in January and July will be most noticeable when professional photographs are placed side by side, astronomers noted.
"On January 3, 2026, at 8:15 p.m. Moscow time (GMT 5:15 p.m.), Earth will reach perihelion — its closest point to the Sun. On this day, the distance between our planet and the Sun will be the smallest of the year, measuring 147,099,586.2593 km (0.9833 au), and the Sun will appear at its largest in 2026, with a diameter of 32 minutes and 35 seconds of arc," the Planetarium told TASS.
Astronomers have warned of the risk of eye burns when observing or photographing the Sun without special filters.
"January isn’t the best month for solar observation; however, it is possible to see new formations on the Sun’s surface using a telescope or binoculars. It is important to remember that any visual observation of the Sun with a telescope or other optical device must always be done with a solar filter," the organization specified.
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