Which of the following statements is / are correct ? 1. The earth is nearest to the Sun at Perihelion, which generally occurs on January 3 2. The earth is farthest away from the Sun at Perihelion, which generally occurs on July 4 3. The earth is farthest away from the Sun at Aphelion, which generally occurs on July 4 4. The earth is nearest to the Sun at Aphelion, which generally occurs on January 3 Select the correct answer using the code given below :

The Earth revolves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, leading to variations in distance throughout the year [1]. Perihelion is the point where the Earth is closest to the Sun, occurring at a distance of approximately 147 million km [3]. This event generally takes place around January 3 each year [3]. Conversely, aphelion is the point where the Earth is farthest from the Sun, reaching a distance of about 152 million km [3]. This occurs around July 4 [2]. While the distance variation results in the Earth receiving slightly more solar energy in January than in July, this difference is relatively small and is not the primary driver of seasonal changes, which are instead caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis [4]. Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct, while 2 and 4 are incorrect.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 19: The Motions of The Earth and Their Effects > Perihelion and Aphelion > p. 255
2. [3] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature > SOLAR RADIATION > p. 67
3. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 32: Ocean Movements Ocean Currents And Tides > Based On Perihelion and Aphelion > p. 506
4. [4] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 19: The Motions of The Earth and Their Effects > Amount of Energy Received From The Sun > p. 256