Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Monday, July 6th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 9:30, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:05. The Moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 12:42 tomorrow morning.

Today at 10:59 AM the Earth reaches aphelion from the Sun, the farthest it gets from it during the year. Earth will be 94 and a half million miles away from the Sun, a bit farther than our normal 93 million. In a planet’s orbit of the Sun, the Earth is no exception; it moves slowest when farthest from the Sun than when it’s closer, and fastest when at perihelion, its closest. It doesn’t make much difference in the amount of heat we get from the Sun being only 1½% farther than average. But it makes summer the longest season at 94 days, versus winter’s 89 days. OK, I know it doesn’t feel like it here in Northern Michigan, but count the days between each solstice and the next equinox.

The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EDT, UT – 4 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.

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