SPACE — Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, and the second closest to Earth (Venus is the closest). But the distance between Earth and Mars keeps changing as they go around the sun. So how far is the Red Planet?
In theory, the closest distance between Earth and Mars is when Mars is at its closest point to the sun (perihelion) and Earth is at its farthest (aphelion). This would put Earth and Mars at their closest distance, which is 34.8 million miles or 56 million kilometers (km).
Meanwhile, the farthest distance between the two planets is when they are farthest from the sun, on opposite sides of the star. At this point, Earth and Mars will be 250 million miles or 401 million km apart. So, the average distance between Earth and Mars is 140 million miles or 225 million km.
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However, when calculated in astronomical distance units, the average distance between Earth and Mars is only 12.5 light minutes. One light minute is the distance traveled by a beam of light in one Earth minute. This means that the light shining from the surface of Mars takes 12.5 minutes to reach a distance of 225 million km to Earth. Light travels at about 186,282 miles per second or 299,792 km per second. Read: 1 Light Year How Many Km?
The distance between Earth and Mars in units of light:
– The closest Earth-Mars distance: 187 seconds, or 3.11 light minutes.
– The furthest distance between Mars and Earth: 1342 seconds, or 22.4 light minutes.
– Average distance: 751 seconds, or just over 12.5 light minutes.
Distance between Earth and Mars in Km:
– The closest Earth-Mars distance: 34.8 million miles or 56 million km.
– Earth-Mars farthest distance: 250 million miles or 401 million km.
– Average Earth-Mars distance: 140 million miles or 225 million km.
Source: NASA/Space.com
Also read:
1 Light Year Is Equal To How Many Km?
How Much Are NASA Astronauts Salary? Can Buy a Car Every Month
How Long Does It Take to Get to Jupiter?
How Do We Know How Old the Earth is?
How Long Does it Take Humans to Explore Other Planets?
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2023-04-30 17:01:51
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