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How far is the Moon from Earth?
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Moon
(Left) Near side of Earth's Moon, photographed by the Galileo spacecraft on its way to Jupiter. (Right) Far side of the Moon with some of the near side visible (upper right), photographed by the Apollo 16 spacecraft.
The Moon is, on average, approximately 384,000 km (238,600 miles) away from Earth. Because the Moon follows an elliptical orbit, this distance varies significantly due to gravitational interactions with Earth, the Sun, and other planets.12
The distance fluctuates between two primary points:
- Perigee: The closest point to Earth, which is approximately 356,500 km (221,500 miles) away.1
- Apogee: The farthest point from Earth, which can reach about 406,700 km (252,700 miles).1
Modern measurements, including those using radar and laser ranging, have refined these values, with the International Astronomical Union adopting a mean distance of 384,400 km (238,900 miles). Additionally, due to tidal interactions, the Moon is currently slowly receding from Earth, meaning the average distance between the two bodies is gradually increasing over time.32