Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Geezer on 28/10/2010 08:10:59

Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: Geezer on 28/10/2010 08:10:59: Looking at the Moon tonight, I realized it might not be too difficult to determine how far away it is.

Who was the first person to establish a close estimate?
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: Don_1 on 28/10/2010 09:33:24: Someone with a very long tape measure. (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhitting%2F2.gif&hash=145489d02b30678baf42ff3e5490a9ba) Oooo! That smarts!
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: peppercorn on 28/10/2010 09:44:59: Have you been at the moon-shine again Don? [:D]
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: Don_1 on 28/10/2010 09:51:55: Could it have been a luna miles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS870zCCAwM&feature=related)
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: Don_1 on 28/10/2010 17:56:44: It was some old geezer (perhaps you're related to him or at least know him (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhitting%2F7.gif&hash=e6353eb01da74af44d5cde972ec84d5a) ) by the name of Harry Starkers (or summat to that effect)

Aristarchus 310 BC or thereabouts.
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: Geezer on 28/10/2010 18:05:00: How did Harry work it out? Did some time traveller bring him a "frikin' laser" so he could bounce a light beam off the Moon?
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: Don_1 on 28/10/2010 18:10:29: He was klevur old geezer, did it like this (http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/lectures/gkastr1.html).
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: Bill S on 28/10/2010 19:05:28: If you look at the thread about dangling a string over a black hole, you will find you can get up there with a ladder, and lose weight at the same time. Wonderful thing science [:P]
Title: Who determined the distance between Earth and Moon?
Post by: syhprum on 29/10/2010 06:48:58: Sir Isaac Newton had serious doubts about his theory of universal gravitation because the accepted value of the distance of the Moon was incorrect.