December 20, 2002

Despite Utah's cold December and January temperatures, come Friday, the 3rd of January at 10:00 p.m. MST, Utah and the rest of the Earth will be as close to the Sun as we're going to get this year.

"While it may seem odd that we're having our colder temperatures when we're closest to the source of the heat, there is a simple explanation," says NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah Patrick Wiggins.

The difference between furthest and closest is actually pretty small so the change in distance from the Sun has little effect on Earth's temperatures. Rather, the real culprit is the tilt of the Earth.

Many might remember from days in school that the teacher's Earth globe was always tilted. That's the way it is with the real Earth too, its tilted about 23 degrees from straight up.

"During this time of year," explains Wiggins, "we in Utah are tilted away from the Sun, meaning the Sun is lower in our sky and doesn't stay in the sky nearly as long as it does in the summer. This can make for some short, frigid days."

Conversely during the toasty days of July Earth is actually furthest from the Sun. But we're also tilted towards it, so the Sun is high in our sky and stays there a lot longer.

"Happily," jokes Wiggins, "for those who don't like the current season there is a simple fix. One need only head for the southern hemisphere where the seasons are just the opposite of what we have here and the water skiing is pretty good just now."

For additional astronomical information log on to Wiggins' solar System Ambassador web site at http://planet.state.ut.us.