Our Earth doesn't just orbit the Sun in a perfect circle; it follows a slightly elliptical path. This means that our distance from the Sun changes by about three percent throughout the year. Today, Earth marked a special event called perihelion, signifying the closest point in its orbit to the blazing star.
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At precisely 6:08 AM IST on Friday, Earth reached perihelion, an annual occurrence as our planet completes its orbit around the Sun. In 2024, this celestial rendezvous falls on January 3. While technically the Sun appears slightly larger in the sky on this day, the human eye can't easily perceive the three percent size difference.
It's important to note that the change of seasons, from summer to winter and vice versa, results from the tilt of Earth's axis, not variations in the distance between our planet and the Sun. The minor enlargement of the Sun may go unnoticed during daylight hours, but the night sky has a delightful surprise for avid observers—a meteor shower.
The Quadrantid meteor shower, active since December 12 and continuing until January 12, will reach its peak around January 4. For viewers in New Delhi, the Quadrantids become visible after 12:07 AM each night, as the radiant point—the spot from which the meteor shower seems to originate—rises above the eastern horizon. The peak spectacle is expected around 4 PM IST on January 4, providing a mesmerizing display that extends until 6:46 AM IST the following day.
While the daytime offers a subtle celestial event, the night sky promises a breathtaking meteor shower, making this astronomical experience a double delight for sky gazers.**
