2nd August 2008

Sun and Moon: A Beautiful Proportion

posted in Apologetics, Culture |

from Astronomy Picture of the Day; Credit & Copyright: Laurent Laveder (PixHeaven.net / TWAN)Here is Laurent Laveder’s explanation of this photograph from “Astronomy Picture of the Day”:

Explanation: The Moon’s measured diameter is around 3,476 kilometers (2,160 miles). But apparent angular size, or the angle covered by an object, can also be important to Moon enthusiasts. Angular size depends on distance, the farther away an object is, the smaller an angle it covers. Since the Moon is 400,000 kilometers away, its angular size is only about 1/2 degree, a span easily covered by the tip of your finger held at arms length, or a measuring tape held in the distance by a friend. Of course the Sun is much larger than the Moon, 400 times larger in fact, but today the New Moon will just cover the Sun. The total solar eclipse can be seen along a track across northern Canada, the Arctic, Siberia, and northern China. (A partial eclipse is visible from a broader region). Solar eclipses illustrate the happy coincidence that while the Sun is 400 times the diameter of the Moon, it is also 400 times farther away giving the Sun and Moon exactly the same angular size.

Note the phrase “happy coincidence” in the last sentence. A happy coincidence is what causes naturalists to shrug a “that’s weird” or even momentarily question their belief that everything is a product of blind, natural forces. On the other hand, a happy coincidence is what reminds theists to be thankful for the untold number of items which indicate that the universe was planned from the beginning with man’s perspective in mind.
Not proof, mind you, not by a longshot. Just a reminder.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, August 2nd, 2008 at 7:38 am and is filed under Apologetics, Culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

There are currently 2 responses to “Sun and Moon: A Beautiful Proportion”

let me know what you think

  1. 1 On August 4th, 2008, Bill said:

    I have never thought of an eclipse in this way.

    I like this post… especially the last line ;-)

  2. 2 On October 24th, 2008, Mogi said:

    To mr. Laveder:
    I am about to give a talk about ancient astronomy, and your wonderful Moon-and-ruler photo is one that I would like to show. I ask you permission for displaying it, with proper credits. It would introduce the theme of distance and dimension of celestial bodies, the concept of parallax and the first attempt to solve the problem since the time of Hipparchus.
    Thank you, and my compliments for it.

    Mogi Massimo Vicentini

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