2007-09-07 01:47:24 · 18 answers · asked by simon n 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Ok, the main problem is that you are asking the distance in miles, but the scientist use SI units, and those are meters, kilometers or whatever you want to measure. you can also use time and the speed of the light, because the speed of the light is constant, and time is defined within 1x10^10 parts, so it is well defined. If you know the time it needs to reach the earth, you multiply it for the speed of light and you get the distance in meters, because the speed of light is determined exactly in meters/second. So then you have to know the factor to transform it to miles, and that is where the problem comes, because nobody that would use the miles and use it for scientific information will be likely to know the distance from the earth to the sun... so better ask the question in the units used by the scientist that do care about it...
2007-09-07 06:07:16 · answer #1 · answered by chipdeutsch 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems that everybody here wants to tell you how far the sun is from Earth. But you question seems to be, "how many people know this"?
That's really a question for the education forum, not for astronomy. I would guess that maybe 1 person in 100, or maybe 1 in 1000 know know the distance to within a factor of 2. (not counting kids under age 12.)
2007-09-07 03:30:28 · answer #2 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most educated adults know that the distance to the sun averages 93 million miles.
2007-09-07 02:16:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The distance is 1 AU (Astronomical Unit) or about 93 million miles.
2007-09-07 03:20:07 · answer #4 · answered by AresIV 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, I do know, at least, I know the standard answer.
how/what do you know? you may know what you are told, you may have some things memorized, but, uh, have you done your own measurements?
let's go with the standard 93 mil answer. how close is that? what season is this? Is our orbit absolutely constant? What is 93 rounded to? uh, do you know how to answer that question in kilometers?
and why is this important in my life?
who is your representitive in your state legislature? in the house of representitives? can you name six supreme court justices? which popular fast-food chain has the unhealthiest food? what are the safest cars? what uses the most electricity in your home?
2007-09-07 02:06:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If 93 million miles blows you away, maybe
you'd better not figure out how many miles
in a light year,
(Approx. dist. to the NEAREST star.).
2007-09-07 09:05:30 · answer #6 · answered by Irv S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
93 million miles
2007-09-07 01:52:34 · answer #7 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
93,000,000 miles
1 Astronomical Unit
8 light minutes
The next closest star at the moment is Bernard's Star at about 3.5 light years but it is a wanderer and is moving away. the closest was (and will be again Alpha Proximis and it is about 4.5 light years away.
1 light year = 9,460,600,000,000 kilometres
2007-09-07 01:56:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An average of 92,900,000 miles. It varies during the year.
2007-09-07 01:53:44 · answer #9 · answered by Goddess of the Moon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could put another 11,624 earths between the earth and the sun.
2007-09-07 01:53:42 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋