The Earth's orbit around the Sun is elliptical in shape. This means that the distance between the Earth and the Sun varies throughout the year, resulting in seasonal changes. The average distance from the Earth to the Sun, known as an astronomical unit, is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). The elliptical shape of the orbit is described by Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion, which states that planets move in orbits that are ellipses with the Sun at one of the two foci. This orbital pattern is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of our solar system.