An old chain message is making the rounds again on Facebook, claiming that the Aphelion phenomenon will bring colder weather until August this year that could cause health problems. This is false.
While aphelion is a real astronomical event that occurs every year, claims that it influences weather patterns or human health had been disproven as early as 2022. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also recently debunked the misleading claim.
The fear-mongering message began circulating again early this year. A user sent a message to VERA Files’ Messenger Misinformation Tipline on Jan. 27 asking to verify the claim. The same text was posted by a Facebook user on Jan. 28.
The full text read:
“ATTENTION AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, PLEASE! COLD UNTIL AUGUST 2026 – TAKE NOTE:
Starting tomorrow at 5:00 AM: 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 2026.
We will have colder weather than ever before, which can lead to flu, coughing, difficulty breathing, etc.
We must boost our immunity by using plenty of vitamins and supplements to strengthen our health.
The distance from the Earth to the Sun is normally 5 light-minutes or 90 million km.
During the Aphelion phenomenon, we are 152 million km away from the Sun — that’s 66% further.
The air will become colder, and our bodies are not used to this temperature — it is a significant difference.
We must maintain our health as best we can. Whether it is cloudy or sunny, the cold will increase just the same!!!
Please share this information with all your family and friends, as many people as possible, so they too can take precautions.
LET’S TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES!!”
In a Facebook advisory on Feb. 2, PAGASA clarified that the circulating message is not true. The Aphelion is the point where the Earth is farthest from the sun. However, the state weather bureau explained that changes in the Earth’s orbital position, such as the Aphelion, do not dictate short term weather patterns. It added that the tilt of the Earth has a greater effect on temperatures and seasonal weather changes than the planet’s distance from the sun during the Aphelion.
In a news report, PAGASA’s senior weather specialist Mario Raymundo also corrected the spurious claims linking the phenomenon to health issues.
“This is not new. Every year, this misleading information is circulated. First, Aphelion 2026, that is real. It is an astronomical phenomenon, which means the position of the Earth from the sun is far, because of the tilt of the Earth. But what is going viral — that it will affect our health — is not real. This is a hoax,” he stated.
The agency urged the public to be cautious about unverified scientific claims and to rely on credible sources for information about weather and astronomical events.
In 2022 and 2023, Rappler fact-checked the same message and found no evidence to support the claims. Foreign fact-checking organizations Africa Check and Agence France-Presse have also debunked it in 2022.
The false message surfaced after most parts of the country experienced cold weather during the first month of the year due to the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan.
As of writing, the post uploaded by FB user Quindialem Villanueva had received 1,300 reactions, 1,200 shares, and 257 comments.