The distance between Mars and Earth varies greatly due to their elliptical orbits around the Sun. It can range from about 33.9 million miles (54.6 million kilometers) at their closest theoretical approach to as far as 250 million miles (401 million kilometers) when they are on opposite sides of the Sun. The closest recorded approach was in August 2003, when they were about 34.8 million miles (56 million kilometers) apart, a proximity not expected to be repeated until the year 2237. On average, Mars is approximately 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) from Earth
. Currently, the distance can be checked precisely using NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory data, which provides live measurements based on the planets' positions in their orbits. For example, as of early May 2025, Mars is roughly 224 million kilometers (about 1.5 astronomical units) from Earth, with light taking about 12 minutes and 28 seconds to travel that distance
. In summary:
- Closest theoretical distance: ~33.9 million miles (54.6 million km)
- Closest recorded distance: ~34.8 million miles (56 million km)
- Average distance: ~140 million miles (225 million km)
- Farthest distance: ~250 million miles (401 million km)
The distance is constantly changing as Earth and Mars orbit the Sun at different speeds and distances
