How Far Is The Moon From Earth?
QUICK ANSWER
The Moon is an average of 238,855 miles (384,400 km) from Earth. The distance varies because the Moon's orbit is elliptical, ranging from about 226,000 miles at closest (perigee) to 252,000 miles at farthest (apogee). The Moon is also slowly moving away from Earth at about 1.5 inches per year.
The Moon is about a quarter of a million miles from Earth, far enough that all seven other planets could fit between Earth and the Moon. The distance isn't constant, though. The Moon's orbit is elliptical, so its distance varies by about 26,000 miles between closest and farthest approach.
How far is the Moon on average?
About 238,855 miles (384,400 km) on average. According to NASA, that distance is so vast that all the other planets of the solar system could fit into the gap between Earth and the Moon. Light from the Moon takes about 1.3 seconds to reach Earth, which is why radio communications with astronauts on the Moon experience a noticeable delay. A modern airliner traveling at 600 mph would take about 16 days to fly the distance, if it could somehow fly through space.
Does the Moon's distance change?
Yes, by a lot. The Moon's orbit is elliptical, not perfectly circular. At perigee (closest approach), the Moon is about 226,000 miles away. At apogee (farthest), it's about 252,000 miles. The 26,000-mile variation is enough to noticeably change the Moon's apparent size in our sky. When a full moon happens to coincide with perigee, we get a supermoon, which appears about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a full moon at apogee. The variation also affects the strength of tides on Earth.
Is the Moon getting closer or farther?
Farther, very slowly. The Moon is moving away from Earth at a rate of about 1.5 inches per year. The drift is caused by tidal interactions between Earth and the Moon: tidal friction transfers energy from Earth's rotation to the Moon's orbit, slowing Earth's spin and pushing the Moon outward. The effect has been confirmed by laser ranging experiments using mirrors placed on the lunar surface by Apollo astronauts. The Moon's current 1.5 inches per year drift will eventually total significant distance over billions of years.
How long does it take to get to the Moon?
Roughly 3 days for crewed missions, though robotic missions can take longer or shorter depending on trajectory. Apollo missions took about 3 days each way to reach the Moon, using a free-return trajectory that would naturally swing back to Earth if anything went wrong. Some uncrewed spacecraft have used efficient slow trajectories taking weeks or months, while others have used direct fast trajectories taking just hours. NASA's Artemis II mission in April 2026 completed its lunar flyby in 10 days round-trip.
The Moon is an average of 238,855 miles from Earth, with the distance varying by about 26,000 miles over its elliptical orbit. The Moon is also slowly drifting farther away at 1.5 inches per year due to tidal interactions. Crewed missions take about 3 days each way to reach the Moon, the same as Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s. The distance is enormous by everyday standards but small compared to anywhere else in the solar system.
More Moon Questions
Mystery Question?
Mystery Question?
Mystery Question?