How far is the Moon from the Earth? How far is the Sun?

The Sun and the Moon are our largest space bodies seen in the sky. The average distance from the Earth to the Moon is about 384.3 thousand kilometers. The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 149.6 million kilometers.

Both the Moon around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun move in elliptical orbits. Therefore, the distances between the planets vary depending on the time of day or year.

The maximum distance between the Earth and the Moon is called the apogee, the minimum is called the perigee. The moon has an apogee of 405.7 thousand kilometers and a perigee of 363.1 thousand kilometers. The average distance (major axis of the orbit) from the Earth to the Moon is about 384.3 thousand kilometers.

The maximum distance from the Sun to the Earth is called aphelion, the minimum is called perihelion. The Earth has an aphelion of 152 million kilometers and a perihelion of 147 million kilometers. The average distance (major axis of the orbit) from the Sun to the Earth is about 149.6 million kilometers. Light travels from the Sun to the Earth in an average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds.