Aristotle’s
Universe: Earth’s Shape
•Aristotle knew the Earth was round:
– Shadow of Earth
during lunar eclipse
–Changing height of Polaris and celestial pole as you moved south
•Eratosthenes measured size of Earth
to better than 20%
to better than 20%
–~200
BC, Greek living in Alexandria
Egypt
–Observed
that
•Sun was
overhead at Syene on summer solstice
•Sun was 7o to the south
of zenith at Alexandria
–Circumference of
Earth must be 360/7 times
distance from Syene to Alexandria
distance from Syene to Alexandria
From Voyages by Fraknoi et al.
From our
text: Horizons, by Seeds