When a planet is closest to the sun in its orbit, this point is known as perihelion. Perihelion is the moment when a planet is at its shortest distance from the sun, which can vary depending on the planet's elliptical orbit. For example, Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, reaches perihelion approximately every 88 days. At this point, Mercury is only about 46 million kilometers away from the sun, compared to its average distance of around 57.9 million kilometers. Perihelion is a key concept in understanding the behavior of planets in our solar system. It affects various aspects of a planet's orbit, such as its speed and temperature. When a planet is at perihelion, it moves at its fastest speed due to the gravitational pull of the sun. This can result in changes in the planet's position and orientation in space. Additionally, the distance from the sun at perihelion can impact a planet's temperature. Planets closer to the sun, like Mercury, experience extreme temperatures at perihelion, while those farther away, like Neptune, have milder temperature variations. Understanding perihelion is crucial for astronomers and scientists studying planetary motion and dynamics. By tracking a planet's position at perihelion, they can gather valuable data on its orbit and behavior. For more information on perihelion and planetary orbits, you can visit websites such as NASA's Solar System Exploration page at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/. Here, you can find detailed information on each planet's orbit, including their distances from the sun at perihelion and aphelion. In conclusion, perihelion is the name given to the point in a planet's orbit when it is closest to the sun. This concept plays a significant role in understanding planetary motion and behavior in our solar system. By studying perihelion, scientists can gain valuable insights into the dynamics of planets and their interactions with the sun.

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