2007-02-27 18:41:06 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
When Earth and Mars are on the same side of the Sun, they can approach to within 55 million kilometers (34 million miles) of each other. However, when Mars and Earth are on opposite sides of the Sun, Mars can be more distant - up to 399 million kilometers (248 million miles) away.
2007-02-27 18:48:32 · answer #1 · answered by Rolly 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It varies, depending on where the two planets happen to be in their orbits
If the orbits of Earth and Mars were circles, Mars would be the same distance from Earth at every opposition. But the orbits are actually ellipses (oval-shaped), with the Sun offset from the centre. Mars, more so than Earth, follows a very non-circular orbit, so its distance from the Sun varies by 26.5 million miles (42.4 million km). This means that the distance between Earth and Mars at an opposition can be anything between about 35 million miles (56 million km) and 63 million miles (100 million km).
The answer to your question can vary greatly at any point in time depending on where Earth and Mars are in their respective orbits.
Earth and Mars (or any two planets for that matter) are not synchronized in their orbit around the Sun. At any one point in time, Earth and Mars could be on opposite sides of the sun (farthest point away from each other) or lined up directly with each other so that a straight line could be drawn between Mars, Earth, and the sun (their closest point).
The Earth obits at an average distance of 149.6 E6 km away from the sun.
Mars orbits at an average distance of 227.9 E6 km from the sun.
At their closest point, Earth and Mars could be as "close" as 78.3 million kilometers, or at their fastest point apart, there could be as much as 377.5 million km.
2007-02-27 19:31:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
On average just over 300 million km. since orbits are not perfect circles but elliptical the distance can vary dramatically. So this is mean distance. We measure the distance of the earth to the sun or the moon the same way; an average.
2007-02-27 18:50:11 · answer #3 · answered by The Stainless Steel Rat 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
312 million km as of 2/28/07
2007-02-27 18:44:37 · answer #4 · answered by cruiser 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Closest possible...about 35 million miles.
Farthest possible...about 250 million miles.
2007-02-27 18:47:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
210 million miles as the crow flies
2007-02-27 19:06:20 · answer #6 · answered by sboy9869 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
35 million miles to 65 million miles according to opposition.
2007-02-27 18:44:42 · answer #7 · answered by jesuscruz 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
earth to mars distance : 313 million km
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mars/mars_orbit.html&edu=high
2007-02-27 18:45:25 · answer #8 · answered by brittany s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋