perihelion
noun
peri·he·lion
ˌper-ə-ˈhēl-yən 
plural perihelia
ˌper-ə-ˈhēl-yə
: the point nearest to the sun in the path of an orbiting celestial body (such as a planet) compare aphelion
Examples of perihelion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, this difference is very slight, with the sun having an angular size of 32 arcminutes and 31 arcseconds at perihelion compared to 31 arcminutes and 27 arcseconds at aphelion, according to In-The-Sky.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The king tides, among the highest of the year, are due to a confluence of multiple factors, including the full moon on Saturday along with Saturday's perihelion, when the Earth's orbit is the closest to the Sun.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
For a storm to happen, Earth has to pass through a dense part of the comet’s debris during perihelion, but sometimes our planet only skims the outskirts.
—Gina Park, CNN Money, 16 Nov. 2025
Meteor storms only occur when the shower's parent comet makes its closest approach to the sun – an event known as perihelion – about once every 33 years, releasing fresh material that the Earth then passes through.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
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Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The king tides, among the highest of the year, are due to a confluence of multiple factors, including the full moon on Saturday along with Saturday's perihelion, when the Earth's orbit is the closest to the Sun.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
For a storm to happen, Earth has to pass through a dense part of the comet’s debris during perihelion, but sometimes our planet only skims the outskirts.
—Gina Park, CNN Money, 16 Nov. 2025
Meteor storms only occur when the shower's parent comet makes its closest approach to the sun – an event known as perihelion – about once every 33 years, releasing fresh material that the Earth then passes through.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perihelion
Cite this Entry
“Perihelion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perihelion. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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perihelion
noun
peri·he·lion
ˌper-ə-ˈhēl-yən
: the point in the path of a heavenly body (as a planet) that is nearest to the sun
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