Naked-eye Astronomy, The Earth-Moon-Sun System

Topic 3: The Earth-Moon-Sun System
Specification
Point Necessary Understanding

3.1 Use the relative size of the Earth, Moon, and Sun
3.2 Use the relative distances of the Earth, Moon, and Sun
Understand how Eratosthenes and Aristarchus used observations of the Moon and
3.3
Sun to successively determine the diameter and distances of the Earth, Moon, and Sun
3.4 Use the information about the mean diameter of the Sun

3.6 Understand the relative effects of the Sun and Moon in producing tidal differences
Understand how the gradual precession of the Earth’s axis affects the appearance of
3.7
the Sun, Moon, and Stars when observed from Earth and its use in archeoastronomy
3.8 Use data relating to the rate of precession of the Earth’s axis

3.9 Understand the appearance of the Moon during partial and total lunar eclipses

3.10 Understand the causes of solar and lunar eclipses

,3.1 Use the relative sizes of the Earth, Moon, and Sun 3.4 Use information about the mean
Sun
3.2 Use the relative distances between the Earth,
Moon, and Sun

[3] The mean diameter of
significantly greater t
13,000km 384,400km Earth and Moo


150.29 million
[2]
3,450km km




[1]


1.39 million
1.
km
The Moon is about ¼ the size of Mean distance between the
the Earth celestial bodies can be used to
The Sun is about 109 times the calculate the relative distance and
size of the Earth how it relates to naked-eye
observations of the bodies

, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4 Questions
How much further away is the moon from the Earth than the Earth
is from the Sun?


The moon is ¼ the size of the Earth. What is the relative size of the
moon compared to the Sun?


How many times larger is the diameter of the sun to that of the
Earth and Moon?