EARTHINSPACE.ppt

Eratosthenes calculated the size of Earths circumference after learning that the Suns rays were vertical at Syene at noon on the same day they made an angle of a little over 7O at Alexandria. He reasoned that the difference was due to Earths curved surface. Since 7O is about 1/50 of 360O, then the size of Earths circumference had to be fifty times the distance between the two towns. (The angle is exaggerated in the diagram for clarity.) The solar system is a disk shaped nebula with a turning, swirling motion. Plane of the ecliptic Ancient Greeks though the Earth was round due to: Since a spher