how far away is mars from earth

The distance between Mars and Earth varies greatly due to their elliptical orbits around the Sun. On average, Mars is about 225 million kilometers (about 140 million miles) away from Earth. The closest approach of Mars to Earth can be around 54.6 million kilometers (approximately 34 million miles), while the farthest distance between the two planets can be up to about 401 million kilometers (around 249 million miles) when they are on opposite sides of the Sun. Currently, the distance can be as much as around 355 million kilometers (about 220 million miles), but this changes constantly as both planets orbit the Sun.