The distance between Earth and Mars varies throughout their orbits because both planets move in elliptical paths around the Sun. When Earth and Mars are closest together (at opposition), they are about 54.6 million kilometers (34 million miles) apart. When they are farthest apart (at conjunction), they are about 401 million kilometers (250 million miles) apart.

Mars' distance from the Sun:

Mars' average distance from the Sun is about 228 million kilometers (142 million miles). This means that Mars is about 1.5 times farther from the Sun than Earth is.