post shared on facebook They claim that the sun and moon are the same size.
Verdict: False
That claim is inaccurate. The sun is significantly larger than the moon, but its horns are about the same size, multiple experts told Check Your Fact via email.
Fact check:
The US is in a space race with China, the report said, as both countries once again seek trips to the moon. USA Today. According to the paper, the United States has not sent astronauts to the moon since the 1972 Apollo mission.
The Facebook post claims that the sun and moon are the same size. This post features images of the sun and moon with large text above them.
The text says: “The sun is said to be 400 times larger than the moon, but it appears to be the same size as the moon because it is miraculously 400 times farther away. Occam's razor suggests that the simplest explanation is usually the best. The explanation is: They are the same size, they are the same distance from us, and they both exist within our local system.”
However, this claim is inaccurate. According to , the sun is about 400 times larger than the moon and about 400 times farther away. NASA. (Related: No, Lauren Boebert didn't say the moon is more “useful” than the sun)
“The sun's diameter is about 400 times that of the moon. In the sky, they appear to be about the same angular size, but that's because the sun is about 400 times farther from the Earth than the moon,” says Astronomy at the University of British Columbia. the professor said. paul hickson via email to confirm facts.
Lecturer in Astronomy, University of Oregon Scott Fisher We also confirmed that the Sun is about 400 times further away and 400 times larger than the Moon, confirming the fact via email. He also explained further about angular size.
“An easy way to see this in action is to pick up a quarter and hold it up to your eye. Notice how much of your field of vision is covered by the coin. Move it at arm's length…. Look how little money is covered!'' Fisher said. “We know that the size of the quarters remained the same, but the size of the horns changed as they moved away from the eye. This is the same thing we see with the sun and moon.”
Fisher referred to additional clarification on angular size in “Check Your Fact.” University of Iowa and khan academy.
Professor of Astronomy, University of British Columbia jamie matthewsalso told Check Your Facts via email that the sun is significantly larger than the moon.
“The sun is 100 times the diameter of the Earth. The moon is a quarter of the diameter of the Earth,” Matthews said. “But they are the same size as seen from Earth. That's why solar eclipses occur.”
