What is the distance from the Earth to the Moon?

The distance between the Earth and the Moon is constantly changing, depending on the time of year, but on average it is 384 thousand kilometers. First calculated by Hipparchus in 150 BC based on the curvature of the shadow cast by the Earth on the Moon during a lunar eclipse. At that time he determined that the distance was 348,000 kilometers, that is, with an error of less than 10% of the real distance between the two celestial bodies.

The image below is nothing more than the graphic representation of a reality that is sometimes overlooked, and it is the enormous distance that exists between the objects that make up our own Solar System.. Although they seem huge to us, all the planets of the Solar System would fit in the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

Math doesn't lie and neither will I. Between the Earth and our satellite there are 384,440km. The approximate diameters of the rest of the planets are:

• Mercury: 4,879km
• Venus: 12.104km
• *Mars: 6,794km
• Jupiter 142,984km
• Saturno: 116,464km
• Urano 50.724km
• Neptune: 49,244km.

Added together, it gives us a distance of 383,193 kilometers. The data will cease to be valid for very little if one day Pluto (2,368km in diameter) is officially accepted as one more planet in the solar system, and not as the planetoid it is now. Of course, it would be impossible for them to be in that position without destroying each other, but the image gives an idea of ​​how big the Solar System is, how far away the Moon really is, and how small the planets are, including ours ( 12,742 kilometers in diameter).

*Mars is slightly ellipsoidal in shape. Although its average diameter is 6,779km, for this calculation the maximum diameter has been chosen, which is the equatorial one.

A detail:

Average distance?

Why mention the average distance? Well, the Moon is not always the same distance from Earth. The orbit is not a perfect circle.

When the Moon is at its furthest, it is 252,088 miles away. That's almost 32 Earths. At its closest, the Moon is 225,623 miles away. That's between 28 and 29 Earths.

Another very small detail, it gives me the impression that I already answered this a long time ago, or someone did! I don't know, but if so, the error would be Quora's, for not checking its database well!! (It is time to send you a warning notice and tell you that if this continues we will see the need to terminate your services).