How far is the Moon from the Earth?
The moon is much smaller than Earth. The moon’s average radius (distance from its center to its surface) is 1,079.6 miles (1,737.4 kilometers), about 27 percent of the radius of Earth. The moon is also much less massive than Earth. The moon has a mass (amount of matter) of 8.10 x 1019 tons (7.35 x 1019 metric tons). Its mass in metric tons would be written out as 735 followed by 17 zeroes. Earth is about 81 times that massive. The moon’s density (mass divided by volume) is about 3.34 grams per cubic centimeter, roughly 60 percent of Earth’s density.
Since the moon’s orbit is elliptical (oval-shaped), its distance varies from about 221,463 miles (356,334 kilometers) at perigee (closest approach to Earth) to 251,968 miles (405,503 kilometers) at apogee (farthest point). The average distance from the moon to the Earth is 238,857 miles (384,392 kilometers).
Since the moon’s orbit is elliptical (oval-shaped), its distance varies from about 221,463 miles (356,334 kilometers) at perigee (closest approach to Earth) to 251,968 miles (405,503 kilometers) at apogee (farthest point). The average distance from the moon to the Earth is 238,857 miles (384,392 kilometers). Statistics for the Moon Diameter …… 2160 miles (3476 km) Mean Distance from Earth …… 238,800 miles (384,400 km) Rotational Period …… 27.32 days Orbital Period …… 27.32 days Orbital Eccentricity …… 0.05 Orbital Inclination …… 5.14 degrees Inclination of Axis …… 1.53 degrees Mean Surface Temperature …… 0° F (-17° C) Main Atmospheric Component …… Hydrogen Atmospheric Depth …… negligible Apparent Magnitude …… -12.74 Features of the Moon Perhaps the most prominent features of the Moon are its numerous craters. Its surface has been bombarded continually throughout its history. Since the Moon has no measurable atmosphere and no liquid water, the
