The Moon is significantly smaller than both the Sun and the Earth. Here are some approximate size comparisons:
Diameter:
- Sun: The Sun has a diameter of about 1.4 million kilometers (870,000 miles).
- Earth: The Earth has a diameter of about 12,742 kilometers (7,918 miles).
- Moon: The Moon has a diameter of about 3,474 kilometers (2,159 miles).
Mass:
- Sun: The Sun is tremendously more massive than both the Earth and the Moon. It contains about 99.86% of the total mass in the solar system.
- Earth: The Earth has a mass of about 5.97 x 10^24 kilograms.
- Moon: The Moon has a mass of about 7.34 x 10^22 kilograms, which is roughly 1/81st the mass of the Earth.
Distance from Earth:
- Sun: The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is about 149.6 million kilometers (93 million miles).
- Moon: The average distance from the Earth to the Moon is about 384,400 kilometers (238,900 miles).
It's important to note that although the Moon is much smaller than the Sun, its distance from the Earth allows it to appear almost the same size as the Sun during a total solar eclipse. This unique alignment creates the visual effect where the Moon can completely cover the Sun's disk, creating a breathtaking spectacle in the sky.