Earth Perihelion and Aphelion, 2008

Jan. 3 Perihelion, approx. 0:00¹

July 4 Aphelion, approx. 8:00¹

Equinoxes and Solstices, 2008

March 20 Vernal equinox, 05:48¹

June 20 Summer solstice, 23:59¹

Sept. 22 Autumnal equinox, 15:44¹

Dec. 21 Winter solstice, 12:04¹

Eclipses, 2008

Feb. 7 Sun, annular (begins 1:38¹), visible along a path beginning in West Antarctica and extending into the far southern Pacific Ocean; with a partial phase visible in most of Antarctica, southeastern Australia, New Zealand, and the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

Feb. 21 Moon, total (begins 0:35¹), the beginning visible western Asia, Europe, Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, and eastern North America; the end visible in western Africa, western Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, North America, and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Aug. 1 Sun, total (begins 8:04¹), visible along a path beginning in northern Canada and extending through northern Greenland, the Arctic Ocean, central Russia, and northern China; with a partial phase visible in northeastern North America, Greenland, the far northern Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, northern Europe, and most of Asia.

Aug. 16 Moon, partial (begins 18:23¹), the beginning visible in the far western Pacific Ocean, Australia, most of Asia, eastern Europe, the Indian Ocean, and Africa (except the western part); the end visible in western Asia, Africa, Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, and South America.

● ¹Universal time.

● Source: Source: The Astronomical Almanac for the Year 2008 (2006).