Perihelions

An object that has a perfectly circular orbit never varies in distance from the object it's going around. With the possible exception of a few spacecraft, none of the objects known to be orbiting the sun has such an orbit. Rather, the planets orbit in ellipses, however slight. So there is a point in each orbit when the planet is closest to the sun. That point is called the perihelion. Likewise, there is a point when each planet is farthest from the sun. That point is the aphelion.

Of course, the longer the orbit the longer the time between these points in the planet's orbit. Mercury goes through perihelion every 88 days. Neptune takes 165 years!

There's a separate page listing aphelion times, but here's a list of perihelion times in Universal Time for the years 2010 through 2029. The distances from the sun in astronomical units, kilometers, and miles are listed. An astronomical unit is the average distance between Earth and the sun.

Mercury March 29, 2010 - 11:23 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
June 25, 2010 - 10:40 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
September 21, 2010 - 09:55 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
December 18, 2010 - 09:08 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
March 16, 2011 - 08:26 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
June 12, 2011 - 07:44 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
September 8, 2011 - 06:57 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
December 5, 2011 - 06:12 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
March 2, 2012 - 05:31 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 29, 2012 - 04:48 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
August 25, 2012 - 04:02 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
November 21, 2012 - 03:15 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
February 17, 2013 - 02:34 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 16, 2013 - 01:53 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
August 12, 2013 - 01:07 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
November 8, 2013 - 00:19 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
February 3, 2014 - 23:37 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 2, 2014 - 22:56 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
July 29, 2014 - 22:11 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
October 25, 2014 - 21:22 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
January 21, 2015 - 20:39 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
April 19, 2015 - 19:58 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
July 16, 2015 - 19:14 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
October 12, 2015 - 18:25 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
January 8, 2016 - 17:40 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
April 5, 2016 - 17:01 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
July 2, 2016 - 16:18 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
September 28, 2016 - 15:30 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
December 25, 2016 - 14:43 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
March 23, 2017 - 14:03 at 0.308 AU (46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
June 19, 2017 - 13:22 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
September 15, 2017 - 12:36 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
December 12, 2017 - 11:48 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
March 10, 2018 - 11:06 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
June 6, 2018 - 10:25 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
September 2, 2018 - 09:40 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
November 29, 2018 - 08:52 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
February 25, 2019 - 08:10 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 24, 2019 - 07:28 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
August 20, 2019 - 06:44 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
November 16, 2019 - 05:56 at 0.307 AU (45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
February 12, 2020 - 05:13 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 10, 2020 - 04:31 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
August 6, 2020 - 03:47 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
November 2, 2020 - 03:00 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
January 29, 2021 - 02:16 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
April 27, 2021 - 01:34 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
July 24, 2021 - 00:50 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
October 20, 2021 - 00:03 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
January 15, 2022 - 23:19 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
April 13, 2022 - 22:37 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
July 10, 2022 - 21:54 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
October 6, 2022 - 21:06 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
January 2, 2023 - 20:22 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
March 31, 2023 - 19:42 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
June 27, 2023 - 18:58 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
September 23, 2023 - 18:11 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
December 20, 2023 - 17:25 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
March 17, 2024 - 16:45 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
June 13, 2024 - 16:03 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
September 9, 2024 - 15:16 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
December 6, 2024 - 14:28 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
March 4, 2025 - 13:47 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 31, 2025 - 13:06 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
August 27, 2025 - 12:20 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
November 23, 2025 - 11:31 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
February 19, 2026 - 10:50 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 18, 2026 - 10:09 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
August 14, 2026 - 09:23 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
November 10, 2026 - 08:34 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
February 6, 2027 - 07:51 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
May 5, 2027 - 07:11 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
August 1, 2027 - 06:27 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
October 28, 2027 - 05:39 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
January 24, 2028 - 04:54 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
April 21, 2028 - 04:13 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
July 18, 2028 - 03:32 at 0.308 AU ( 46.1 million km or 28.6 million mi)
October 14, 2028 - 02:44 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
January 10, 2029 - 01:58 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
April 8, 2029 - 01:17 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
July 5, 2029 - 00:34 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
September 30, 2029 - 23:48 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)
December 27, 2029 - 23:02 at 0.307 AU ( 45.9 million km or 28.5 million mi)

Venus May 16, 2010 - 23:07 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
December 27, 2010 - 16:51 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
August 9, 2011 - 09:04 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
March 21, 2012 - 01:05 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
October 31, 2012 - 20:56 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
June 13, 2013 - 14:14 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
January 24, 2014 - 01:36 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
September 5, 2014 - 15:53 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
April 18, 2015 - 09:24 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
November 29, 2015 - 09:02 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
July 11, 2016 - 02:04 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
February 20, 2017 - 16:58 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
October 3, 2017 - 05:56 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
May 15, 2018 - 23:06 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
December 26, 2018 - 16:51 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
August 8, 2019 - 09:17 at 0.718 AU (107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
March 20, 2020 - 02:15 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
October 30, 2020 - 23:14 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
June 12, 2021 - 17:47 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
January 23, 2022 - 05:50 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
September 4, 2022 - 20:34 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
April 17, 2023 - 13:43 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
November 28, 2023 - 12:39 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
July 10, 2024 - 05:27 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
February 19, 2025 - 19:56 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
October 2, 2025 - 09:08 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
May 15, 2026 - 02:57 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
December 25, 2026 - 21:30 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
August 7, 2027 - 14:05 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
March 19, 2028 - 06:43 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
October 30, 2028 - 02:28 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)
June 11, 2029 - 19:42 at 0.718 AU ( 107 million km or 66.7 million mi)

Earth January 3, 2010 - 00:09 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 3, 2011 - 18:32 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 5, 2012 - 00:32 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 2, 2013 - 04:38 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 4, 2014 - 11:59 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 4, 2015 - 06:36 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 2, 2016 - 22:49 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 4, 2017 - 14:18 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 3, 2018 - 05:35 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 3, 2019 - 05:20 at 0.983 AU (147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 5, 2020 - 07:48 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 2, 2021 - 13:50 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 4, 2022 - 06:54 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 4, 2023 - 16:17 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 3, 2024 - 00:39 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 4, 2025 - 13:28 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 3, 2026 - 17:16 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 3, 2027 - 02:33 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 5, 2028 - 12:29 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)
January 2, 2029 - 18:14 at 0.983 AU ( 147 million km or 91.4 million mi)

Mars March 9, 2011 - 14:25 at 1.381 AU (206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
January 24, 2013 - 09:16 at 1.381 AU (206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
December 12, 2014 - 08:42 at 1.381 AU (206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
October 29, 2016 - 13:22 at 1.381 AU (206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
September 16, 2018 - 12:57 at 1.381 AU (206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
August 3, 2020 - 09:08 at 1.381 AU ( 206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
June 21, 2022 - 13:18 at 1.381 AU ( 206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
May 8, 2024 - 10:59 at 1.382 AU ( 206.7 million km or 128.5 million mi)
March 26, 2026 - 07:27 at 1.381 AU ( 206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
February 11, 2028 - 12:32 at 1.381 AU ( 206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)
December 29, 2029 - 13:33 at 1.381 AU ( 206.6 million km or 128.4 million mi)

Jupiter March 18, 2011 - 06:37 at 4.948 AU (740.2 million km or 459.9 million mi)
January 21, 2023 - 14:48 at 4.951 AU (740.7 million km or 460.2 million mi)

Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune don't go through perihelion during this period.