text: why the date of perhelion distance and the date of shortest day is not same? date of perhelion and date of shortest day reason, orbit of earther because it is not the distance from the sun that makes out day but how the earth is tilted. the earth is tilted by 23 1/2 degrees. during the summer months,  the north is pointed toward the sun allowing more direct sunlight.  during the winter, we are tilted away from the sun so the sunlight  is more indirect as the sun seems lower in the sky.  there are 4 cardinal points in our calender;  summer solstice, autumnal equinox, winter solstice and vernal equinox.  beginning of summer, fall, winter and spring. this coincides  with the position of earth as it goes around the sun.  each of the cardinal days can take place over a three day period,  20th, 21st, 22nd. on june 22nd, summer solstice, it is the longest  day of the year. it is also the day that the north pole is pointing  directly at the sun. the next day it will have passed this point  and start pointing away from the sun, hence, the days will also start  getting shorter. for further info,  feel free to email me, orion_1812@yahoo.com