Lunar Image

Suzuya told us this about the image:

The Moon.  

Looking up at the sky during night time, you might be able to spot a giant rock floating at nearly 384 399 km above your head. Formed 4.51 billion years ago, the Moon is one of the easiest and beautiful celestial bodies you can observe from Earth.  If you are passionate by astronomy, you might have noticed a strange correlation between the Sun and the Moon.

Why does the Moon seem to have the same diameter as the Sun ?

To understand this phenomenon, we need to dive in some numbers.

First, we look at the diameter of the Moon and the Sun.

Moon's diameter = 3.474,8 km

Sun's diameter = 1.392.700 km

we, then, divide the Sun diameter with that of the Moon to obtain the scaling factor between those two objects. 

1.392.700 / 3.474,8 ≈ 401

the Moon is, therefore, almost 401 times smaller than the Sun.

Now, let's see the distances relation.

Earth-Moon distance = 384.399 km

Earth-Sun distance = 149.597.870,7 km

Dividing the Earth-Sun distance with the Earth-Moon distance, we get the scaling factors distance.

149.597.870,7 / 384.399 ≈ 389

the Moon is about 389 times closer to us than the Sun.

In conclusion, because the Moon is roughly 400 times closer to us and 400 times smaller than the Sun, we get this impressive illusion that they are the same size.