How far are we from the Sun? It's a question that has puzzled mankind for millenia. Just how far is the Earth from the Sun? And why does the transit of Venus get astronomers all hot and bothered? This fascinating interactive takes you through the search for the Astronomical Unit (the distance of the Earth from the Sun). It involves some complex mathematics, but if that's all a bit too much trouble, you can have a go on our AU calculator.

The AU calculator is a cool tool that does the calculations for you! Simply dial in the time that you think is the point of third contact (if you missed it, we've got a video for you to take your own measurement from) and all the working out will be done for you. We also provide in-depth background information on the aberrations you can encounter in your quest.

Launch Measure the AU

After you've come up with your own personal measurment for the distance between the Sun and the Earth, why not join us in the forum and compare your results with the rest of the nation?