What is the point in Earth's orbit when it is closest to the Sun called?

The point in Earth’s orbit when it is closest to the Sun is called perihelion.

Earth’s orbit is slightly elliptical rather than perfectly circular, so its distance from the Sun changes throughout the year. Perihelion is the nearest point; the opposite point, when Earth is farthest from the Sun, is called aphelion. In the modern era, perihelion usually occurs in early January, while aphelion occurs in early July.

The distance at perihelion is about 0.983 astronomical units (AU), compared with roughly 1.017 AU at aphelion. That difference changes the amount of solar energy Earth receives by about 6.8 percent. It does not cause the seasons, however. Seasons are driven mainly by Earth’s 23.4-degree axial tilt, which changes the angle and duration of sunlight in each hemisphere.

Several answer choices describe related orbital ideas. Aphelion is the farthest point from the Sun, while apogee and perigee are terms for the farthest and nearest points in an orbit around Earth, especially the Moon’s orbit. The broader astronomical term for either endpoint of an orbit is an apsis.