In its elliptical orbit, a planet is closest to the Sun at what point?

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Multiple Choice

In its elliptical orbit, a planet is closest to the Sun at what point?

Explanation:
The distance to the Sun changes along an elliptical orbit because the Sun sits at one focus of the ellipse. The closest approach to that focus is called perihelion, where the planet’s distance to the Sun is smallest. At this point the planet also speeds up as it moves inward, a consequence of conserving angular momentum in orbital motion. The farthest point is aphelion. Terms like perigee and apogee describe orbits around Earth, not the Sun, so they don’t apply to Sun–planet distance.

The distance to the Sun changes along an elliptical orbit because the Sun sits at one focus of the ellipse. The closest approach to that focus is called perihelion, where the planet’s distance to the Sun is smallest. At this point the planet also speeds up as it moves inward, a consequence of conserving angular momentum in orbital motion. The farthest point is aphelion. Terms like perigee and apogee describe orbits around Earth, not the Sun, so they don’t apply to Sun–planet distance.

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