How Far Is the Sun from Earth?
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The Sun is approximately 149.6 million km (about 92.96 million miles) away from Earth. This distance is often expressed as an astronomical unit (AU; 1 AU = 149.6 million km), which is a standard unit of measurement in astronomy that allows for quick comparison of distances of planets, stars, and other celestial bodies from the Sun.
Earth’s orbit around the Sun is nearly circular, and therefore its distance from the Sun does not vary substantially throughout the year. Only Venus and Neptune have orbits that are similarly circular. This consistent distance is crucial for maintaining the stable climate conditions that support life on Earth.
Historically, the distance to the Sun was determined using the parallax method, which involves measuring the apparent shift in position of a nearby object against a distant background from two different vantage points. This method, although challenging due to the Sun’s brightness, was crucial in establishing the scale of the solar system.