Given the diameter of the sun, the diameter of a planet, and the distance between them, how do you calculate the length of the planets shadow?
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
1
By similar triangles. Call the sun's radius R, the planet's radius r, the sun-planet distance d, and the planet's umbra's length u.
Then the ratio R : d+u is the same as r : u. Rearrange to isolate u, and Bob's your uncle.
answered Jan 8, 2021 at 16:54
-
1
