Long-distance measurement

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Former Member

The 400s BCE Indian text by Surya Siddhanta approximated Saturn’s diameter at 73,580 miles. The calculation was only 1% off from the currently accepted estimate of 74,580 miles. -- www.randomhistory.com

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cainTired old hippie

Whoever wrote that Surya Siddhanta musta used a tape measure that wasn't made in China.

Planetary diameters

The Surya Siddhanta also estimates the diameters of the planets. The estimate for the diameter of Mercury is 3,008 miles, an error of less than 1% from the currently accepted diameter of 3,032 miles. It also estimates the diameter of Saturn as 73,882 miles, which again has an error of less than 1% from the currently accepted diameter of 74,580. Its estimate for the diameter of Mars is 3,772 miles, which has an error within 11% of the currently accepted diameter of 4,218 miles. It also estimated the diameter of Venus as 4,011 miles and Jupiter as 41,624 miles, which are roughly half the currently accepted values, 7,523 miles and 88,748 miles, respectively.^[5]

1/19/1511:25 PM

Former Member

Surya had to make allowance for shrinkage, on a cold cold day, measurement could be off by 50%.

1/20/154:02 PM

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Planetary diameters

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