Online Reporter
Sifelani Tsiko, Fact Check Editor
“STARTING tomorrow at 5:00 AM: for 27 hours we will experience the APHELION PHENOMENON. The Earth will be very far from the Sun. We cannot see the phenomenon, but we can feel its impact. It will last until the month of August,” reads a message that has been widely circulated on social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp in recent days.
The message warns that due to the so-called “aphelion phenomenon”—when Earth is at its furthest point from the Sun—people will experience colder-than-usual weather, which could lead to increased cases of flu, coughs, and shortness of breath.
But is this true for Zimbabwe?
According to the Meteorological Services Department (MSD), the answer is no. Head of Forecasting, Mr James Ngoma, dismissed the claims as false.
“It’s fake. It circulates every year,” he said.
Aphelion is not a rare or unusual event. It occurs annually and is not unique to 2025.
Experts explain that aphelion refers to the point in earth’s orbit when it is farthest from the sun, due to the elliptical shape of its orbit.
Conversely, the closest point is known as perihelion. Both events happen once a year and are part of earth’s natural orbital cycle.
Weather experts emphasise that aphelion has minimal impact on day-to-day weather patterns. In fact, Zimbabwe and most countries in the southern hemisphere are not expected to experience unusually cold weather this winter as a result of aphelion.
So, what do scientists say about winters in the southern hemisphere?
According to a report by Africa Check:
“Because aphelion occurs during the southern hemisphere’s winter, the earth has further to travel between that hemisphere’s winter solstice and the spring equinox.
“This means that aphelion causes winter to last slightly longer than summer in the southern hemisphere.
“The opposite is true in the northern hemisphere, where summer lasts longer than winter — approximately 92 days compared to 89.”
However, this does not mean that winters in the southern hemisphere are colder.
“Having more large land masses and less water causes the northern hemisphere to experience both warmer summers and colder winters.
These are the factors that influence weather patterns — not the earth’s distance from the sun,” the report says.
In summary, while aphelion is a real astronomical event, it does not cause extreme cold or health issues.
Zimbabweans should rely on verified information from the Meteorological Services Department and avoid spreading misinformation.
Sources:l Meteorological Services Department (MSD), l Africa Check
