January 4, 2023
Today, the Earth reaches perihelion. This is when we are closest to the Sun. Earth is at its greatest distance from the Sun in July. This point in Earth’s orbit is called aphelion.
Ice haloes like the one seen here are caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere refracting and reflecting light. It does not need to be winter for these to be seen as the above image was recorded on June 8, 2020. Image credit: Eric Gustafson.