Who first discovered the distance from the earth to the sun?

Answer 1

Actually, the ancient greek astronomer Aristarchus determined the distance before Eratosthenes did. His estimate was off, but his methodology was correct.

He realized that the Sun-Moon-Earth angle must be 90 degrees when the moon is in a quarter phase (half lit up, half dark). However, the quarter moon is in a slightly different position in the sky than when we observe it exactly 90 degrees from the Sun (i.e. when the Sun-Earth-Moon angle is 90 degrees). This difference can be used to calculate the Sun's distance relative to the moon.

Unfortunately, his observations were off a bit...he used a value of 3 degrees for this difference in position, when it should have been more like half a degree. He ended up deriving that Sun was 20 times further than the moon (it should be around 400 times further).

Answer 2

Eratosthenes, a Hellenistic mathematician, geographer, and astronomer.

Answer 3

Newton first hypostised, but was first "knowlingly" was ?
Guess what? you need to earn this answer by yourself, try the NASA websites, and who know's you might learn something?

Answer 4

the egyptians more than likely

Answer 5

hubble

Answer 6

GOD