The distance between Mars and Earth varies as both planets have elliptical orbits around the Sun. On average, Mars is about 225 million kilometers (140 million miles) away from Earth. However, this distance can change significantly as both planets orbit the Sun at different speeds and in different paths. The closest approach, known as opposition, occurs approximately every 26 months, when Mars and the Sun are on directly opposite sides of Earth. At opposition, Mars can come as close as about 54.6 million kilometers (33.9 million miles). The farthest distance between the two planets occurs when Mars is on the opposite side of its orbit from Earth.
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