The Earth and Mars both orbit the Sun, the Earth faster, on the inside track. Every 26 months or so the Earth overtakes Mars: the two planets are then on the same side of the Sun and Mars is at its closest and brightest in our night sky, an event called opposition. At best, the distance falls to about 55 million km; when Mars is on the far side of the Sun, it grows to about 400 million km. That is why missions to Mars leave in launch windows about every two years. A radio signal, travelling at the speed of light, takes from about 3 to 22 minutes to make the trip, so rovers cannot be steered live with a joystick.
How far is Mars from the Earth right now?
Computing…
Questions and answers
How long does it take to travel to Mars?
About seven months for today’s probes, which follow a curved path around the Sun rather than a straight line.
When is Mars closest to the Earth?
Around its oppositions, about every 26 months; the next one is in February 2027.
Where the numbers come from
Values refresh every second in your browser; the published data are checked every 10 minutes and updated several times a day.