"Alright," Mr. Henderson said, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. "Pop quiz. No paper required. Just shout it out." He turned to the whiteboard and drew a large circle with a smaller dot in the center. "This is the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Based on the temperature in this room right now, tell me: During which month is the Earth farthest from the Sun? "

"By a good three million miles," Mr. Henderson confirmed. "It’s the ultimate irony of the solar system. When you are sweating the most, you are actually the farthest away you will be all year. And when you are shoveling snow in January, Earth is practically snuggled up against the furnace."

For those living in the Southern Hemisphere, such as in Australia or South America, aphelion occurs during the winter. In this case, the distance works in tandem with the tilt. Because they are tilted away from the sun and the sun is at its maximum distance, Southern Hemisphere winters can technically be slightly colder than Northern Hemisphere winters, although ocean patterns and geography play a much larger role in actual weather. Orbital Speed and the Length of Seasons

"Anyone else?" Mr. Henderson asked, capping his marker.