Lecture 04: Measuring the Earth Astronomy 161 - Introduction to Solar System Astronomy
-
- Courses
What is the shape and size of the Earth? This lecture traces historical
ideas about the shape of the Earth, from ancient ideas of a Flat-Earth
to Aristotle's compelling demonstrations in the 3rd century BC that the
Earth was a sphere. We then discuss two famous classical measurements
of the circumference of the Earth by Eratosthenes of Cyrene in the 3rd
century BC and Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. Recorded 2007
Sep 24 in 1000 McPherson Lab on the Columbus campus of The Ohio State
University.
What is the shape and size of the Earth? This lecture traces historical
ideas about the shape of the Earth, from ancient ideas of a Flat-Earth
to Aristotle's compelling demonstrations in the 3rd century BC that the
Earth was a sphere. We then discuss two famous classical measurements
of the circumference of the Earth by Eratosthenes of Cyrene in the 3rd
century BC and Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. Recorded 2007
Sep 24 in 1000 McPherson Lab on the Columbus campus of The Ohio State
University.