Obviously the Sun is bigger and further away than the moon. But it seems a massive coincidence to me that when we look up at an eclipse the Sun and the Moon are almost exactly the same size.
2006-09-28 01:30:48 · 33 answers · asked by Matthew H 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Please do not just reply that it is perspective. If you do then you are being dumb as missing the point.
The point of the question is the amazing coincidence that the sun and the moon have no relationship to eachother but from our perspective that they are the same size.
Lost of very dumb answers on here so far - so think about it for a bit people...
2006-09-28 04:55:46 · update #1
I don't know but I trust you will tell us once you find out.
2006-09-28 01:31:55 · answer #1 · answered by Texan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The two simple answers have been mooted already:
1. It is a coincidence
2. Somebody/something likes the aesthetics of a moon that looks the same size as the sun
What about more complex suggestions? Here's my contribution:
For some reason, the development of intelligent life requires annular eclipses, i.e. a moon that looks very slightly smaller than the sun. Thus, if the moon appeared to be a different size to the sun, we would not be here to see it. Conversely, because it appears the same, we are here to see it.
Poppycock?
2006-09-30 03:44:40 · answer #2 · answered by Dr Chris 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not a coincidence. You are simply wrong. Sorry, but you are.
No actually ... I am wrong. Here is the true answer. Sorry (again)...feel a bit 5hit now....
The Earth's Moon is the fifth largest in the whole solar system, and is bigger than the planet Pluto. The Moon has a nearly circular orbit (e=0.05) which is tilted about 5° to the plane of the Earth's orbit. Its average distance from the Earth is 384,400 km. The combination of the Moon's size and its distance from the Earth causes the Moon to appear the same size in the sky as the Sun, which is one reason we can have total solar eclipses.
It takes the Moon 27.322 days to go around the Earth once. Because of this motion, the Moon appears to move about 13° against the stars each day, or about one-half degree per hour. If you watch the Moon over the course of several hours one night, you will notice that its position among the stars will change by a few degrees. The changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun leads to lunar phases.
Have you ever heard the term the 'far-side' of the Moon? Because of the effect on the Moon of tidal forces due to the Earth, the same side of the moon always faces the Earth. In other words, it takes the Moon the same amount of time to rotate around once as it does for the Moon to go around the Earth once. Therefore, Earth-bound observers can never see the 'far-side' of the Moon. Tidal forces cause many of the moons of our solar system to have this type of orbit.
2006-09-28 01:31:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The sun is so much further away and so much bigger than the moon, that it looks the same size when viewed from the same point. If it was the same distance away as the moon (apart from us all burning to death), it would be so big that it would fill up most of the sky. And if the moon was moved the same distance as the sun, we wouldn't even see it (it would probably be a tiny little spec in the sky)
2006-09-28 01:35:06 · answer #4 · answered by Charlie Brigante 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't. An eclipse only happens to certain areas of the earth, not the whole earth. So it is completely perspective. think of it like this: You can put your thumb about 6 inches from your face and block out the sun on your eyes. But from a perspective of your chin, the sun is still very present and the thumb isnt blocking out anything. Now relate this to the moon=thumb, head=earth.
2006-09-29 09:04:11 · answer #5 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun is 400 times bigger than the moon, but it just so happens that it is 400 times further away, so they both look the same size from earth.
2006-10-01 11:29:57 · answer #6 · answered by noggin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Sun is the biggest planet.
the Sun is further away from earth than the moon.
due to the distance,this causes the effect that both moon and sun are the same size .
( perspective )..........try the experiment ..... placing two match boxes on top each other,in a step formation ................
2006-09-28 02:51:11 · answer #7 · answered by Basil P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So exact in fact that a complete solar eclipse is the only time we can directly observe the suns outer atmosphere, the corona.
But I wouldn't call it a massive coincidence.
I would call it a miraculous coincidence!!!!
ps if the moon were any closer the earth would be swamped by huge tides, if it were any farther away the ocean would stagnate.
My my, how fortunate
2006-09-28 01:48:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the moon has a much smaller diameter than the Sun but it is much closer to the Earth. If you could move the Moon away from the Earth it would appear smaller and smaller.
2006-09-28 01:35:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon is a relatively short distance away, at a mere 240,00 to 248,000 miles away. The sun is 91 to 93 million miles away, and seems to be the same size as the moon because of the distance.
2006-09-28 01:34:12 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is due to the distance from the earth to the moon and the earth from the sun. The moon is very close to us and the sun is further away! Much away!!!
2006-09-28 01:39:43 · answer #11 · answered by sarah d 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋