Mercury's distance from the Sun varies because it has the most eccentric (elliptical) orbit of all the planets.

• On average, Mercury is about 36 million miles (58 million kilometers) or approximately 0.4 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. One AU is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun

• At its closest point (perihelion), Mercury is about 29 million miles (46 million kilometers) from the Sun

• At its farthest point (aphelion), it is about 43 million miles (70 million kilometers) away

This elliptical orbit means Mercury's distance from the Sun ranges roughly between 29 million and 43 million miles. Sunlight takes about 3.2 minutes to reach Mercury at its average distance