As fireworks light up the sky and glasses clink around the world tonight, we are celebrating more than just a change on the calendar. We are celebrating a cosmic achievement. We have successfully completed another massive journey of 940 million kilometres around our star.
Here at Planet Sun, New Year’s Eve is our favourite holiday. Why? Because it is the ultimate celebration of the relationship between our planet and the Sun.
When the clock strikes midnight, our thoughts turn to the future: new resolutions, fresh starts and blank pages. However, if we pause for a moment and look up, we realise that time is merely a measure of our dance with the Sun.
The Cosmic Odometer
While you are sitting reading this, Earth is actually moving at a speed of 107,000 kilometres per hour. This is the speed at which the Earth rushes through space to maintain its stable orbit around the Sun.
Over the last 365 days, we have travelled almost a billion kilometres. We have weathered solar storms, basked in the summer sun and tilted away into the winter chill. Now, the odometer resets.
Starting the year with a warm embrace
A beautiful astronomical coincidence is happening right now. Just a few days after New Year’s Day (around 4 January), Earth reaches perihelion.
This is the point in our orbit where we are physically closest to the Sun, about five million kilometres closer than in July. Although it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere due to the tilt of the Earth, we begin 2026 by snuggling up as close to our star as possible. We literally begin the year in the Sun’s embrace.
A resolution for the planet Sun!
As we enter 2026, the Sun remains the most powerful force in our lives. It drives our weather, grows our food and, increasingly, powers our homes and industries.
If there is one resolution we should all share for the coming year, it is to align ourselves more closely with this power. This could mean appreciating the beauty of a sunrise, understanding the science of solar cycles or supporting the transition to solar energy. We are, and always will be, children of the Sun.
Don’t just watch the fireworks tonight. Remember the giant ball of fire that makes this whole journey possible.
Happy New Year! Here’s to the next lap!