How ancient found that sun is too far from earth?

  • I
  • Thread starter parshyaa
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Earth Sun
In summary, ancient scientists used a method called parallax and basic tools such as protractors, rulers, and sextants to determine the distance between the sun and the earth. They estimated it to be around 93 million miles, which is very close to the modern-day calculation. This discovery greatly impacted ancient astronomy and helped scientists develop more accurate models of the solar system. However, modern-day measurements using advanced technology and instruments are more precise.
  • #1
parshyaa
307
19
is it because lunar eclipse shows that sun is bigger than Earth and moon, and solar eclipse shows that sun is too far because moon's shadow on Earth is almost a point.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
See the "History" section of the Wikipedia article on the Astronomical Unit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_unit#History

One method of finding the relative distance of the sun and moon is to determine the angle between the sun and the moon at the time when the moon is exactly half illuminated, but doing that accurately was somewhat beyond ancient technology.
 

Related to How ancient found that sun is too far from earth?

1. How did ancient scientists determine the distance between the sun and the earth?

The ancient scientists used a method called parallax to determine the distance between the sun and the earth. This involved measuring the angle between the sun and a distant object at different locations on earth.

2. What tools did ancient scientists use to measure the distance between the sun and the earth?

Ancient scientists used basic tools such as protractors, rulers, and sextants to measure the angle between the sun and a distant object. They also used simple geometry and trigonometry to calculate the distance.

3. Did ancient scientists have an accurate understanding of the distance between the sun and the earth?

Ancient scientists had a fairly accurate understanding of the distance between the sun and the earth. They estimated it to be around 93 million miles, which is very close to the modern-day calculation of approximately 93.02 million miles.

4. How did the discovery of the distance between the sun and the earth impact ancient astronomy?

The discovery of the distance between the sun and the earth greatly impacted ancient astronomy. It helped ancient scientists to develop more accurate models of the solar system and understand the movements of celestial objects.

5. How does the ancient measurement of the distance between the sun and the earth compare to modern-day measurements?

The ancient measurement of the distance between the sun and the earth is very close to the modern-day measurement. However, with advancements in technology and the use of more precise instruments, modern-day measurements are more accurate than those made by ancient scientists.

Similar threads

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
3
Views
592
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
45
Views
4K
Replies
17
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
15
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
3
Views
981
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
21
Views
2K
Back
Top