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General Discussion => Q&A Section => Topic started by: Kit344 on 02/09/2021 03:25 pm

Title: Q&A Trying to find the Current distance and communication delay to Mars
Post by: Kit344 on 02/09/2021 03:25 pm

So I understand that the distance between Earth and Mars varies over a 26 month period, and the last close approach was in October 2020

I am trying to find the current, and expected communication delay time between Earth and Mars over the next few months.

Is there a website that has this in minutes as well as kilometers ?

Title: Re: Q&A Trying to find the Current distance and communication delay to Mars
Post by: eeergo on 02/09/2021 04:26 pm

Quote from: Kit344 on 02/09/2021 03:25 pm

So I understand that the distance between Earth and Mars varies over a 26 month period, and the last close approach was in October 2020

I am trying to find the current, and expected communication delay time between Earth and Mars over the next few months.

Is there a website that has this in minutes as well as kilometers ?

Here you go, for any date in the XXth and XXIst centuries.

https://theskylive.com/how-far-is-mars

Title: Re: Q&A Trying to find the Current distance and communication delay to Mars
Post by: Kit344 on 02/09/2021 05:06 pm

Thanks, I was surprised that the time is already in excess of 10.5 minutes today, only 4 months after the minimum of around 3 minutes.
I had assumed that it was something like a sinusoidal graph, and am glad that I got that right !