How to determine the diameter of Earth?

  • Thread starter Thread starter oem7110
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Diameter Earth
AI Thread Summary
Measuring the Earth's diameter cannot be done directly with rulers; instead, methods like those used by Eratosthenes and the Great Arc are suggested for estimation. The discussion highlights that similar techniques can be applied to other celestial bodies, although the methods differ. For planets, diameter estimation can be achieved through occultation, where the timing of a radio signal from an orbiting probe is analyzed as it passes behind the planet. Asteroids are measured using stellar occultation, where observers note the timing of a star's light being blocked by the asteroid. This approach is analogous to observing solar eclipses, where the duration of the eclipse varies based on the observer's location.
oem7110
Messages
149
Reaction score
0
We cannot measure the diameter of Earth inch by inch using rulers, and must somehow estimate the distance on Earth, Does anyone have any suggestions on what approach they use to measure the diameter of Earth? and how does this approach apply to measure the diameter of other planets?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
 
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
Google Eratosthenes, then google 'The Great Arc' and perhaps 'The Prime Meridian through Paris'.
 
And after that, maybe also google Struve Geodetic Arc
 
how does this approach apply to measure the diameter of other planets?

it doesn't.
 
A planet's diameter may be estimated by occultation, such as studying the cut-off time of a radio signal from an orbiting probe as it swings behind the planet.

Asteroids have been 'sized' by stellar occultation, where many observers watch for a star's cut-off time. From their position on Earth, the asteroid does or doesn't eclipse a background star.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-faraway-eris-pluto-twin-dwarf.html

Analogy is a solar eclipse, where folk off the centre-line see shorter and shorter eclipses...
 
Thread 'The Secrets of Prof. Verschure's Rosetta Stones'
(Edit: since the thread title was changed, this first sentence is too cryptic: the original title referred to a Tool song....) Besides being a favorite song by a favorite band, the thread title is a straightforward play on words. This summer, as a present to myself for being promoted, I purchased a collection of thin sections that I believe comprise the research materials of Prof. Rob Verschure, who at the time was faculty in the Geological Institute in Amsterdam. What changed this...
These last days, there is a seemingly endless cluster of rather powerful earthquakes close to the islands of Santorini, Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios. Remember, this is a highly volcanically active region, Santorini especially being famous for the supervolcanic eruption which is conjectured to have led to the decline of the Minoan civilization: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_eruption To grasp the scale of what is happening, between the 26th of January and the 9th of February, 12000...
Back
Top