|perə|hēlyən, -lēən noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin perihelium, perihelion, from peri- + -helium, -helion (from Greek hēlios sun) — more at solar
: periastron in the solar system : the point in the path of a planet, comet, meteor, artificial planetoid, passing star, or other celestial body that is nearest to the sun — opposed to aphelion ; compare apsis , pericenter , perigee ; see aphelion illustration