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240000 stadia
- Using a distance of 5000 stadia between Rhodes and Alexandria this gave Posidonius a value of 240000 stadia for the circumference of the earth. This a very accurate value, but it is produced because of two compensating errors.
Thus Posidonius's measure of 240,000 stadia translates to 24,000 mi (39,000 km) compared to the actual circumference of 24,901 mi (40,074 km). [45] Posidonius's method for calculating the circumference of the Earth, relied on the altitude of the star Canopus.
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How many stadia did Posidonius calculate?
How did Posidonius calculate the Earth's circumference?
What stadia did Posidonius use?
Why did Ptolemy use Posidonius a lower value?
Ptolemy used Posidonius's lower value of 180,000 stades (about 33% too low) for the earth's circumference in his Geography. This was the number used by Christopher Columbus in order to underestimate the distance to India as 70,000 stades.
Use the difference in the two altitudes (and therefore the two latitudes) to estimate the circumference of the Earth in stadia and in kilometers. Compare to the actual circumference of the Earth and comment on possible sources of error.
Eratosthenes had given a much more accurate value of 252000 stadia 150 years before Posidonius. Posidonius also made calculations of the size and distance to the moon, and the size and distance to the sun.
Jan 10, 2022 · The smaller value offered by Strabo and the different lengths of Greek and Roman stadia have created a persistent confusion around Posidonius's result. Ptolemy used Posidonius's lower value of 180,000 stades (about 33% too low) for the earth's circumference in his Geography.
May 1, 2017 · By multiplying 48 by 5,000, he figured the Earth's circumference to be 240,000 stadia, which was close to Eratosthenes' figure and Posidonius almost got the numbers right, but he was too ambitious. For some reason, recalculated the distance between Rhodes and Alexandria and decreased the figure to 180,000 stadia.
Apr 5, 2024 · The accuracy of Eratosthenes's calculations of the circumference being 252,000 stadia depends on assumptions about the modern equivalent of length of the stadion. The same issue applies to Posidonius's calculation of the circumference of 240,000 stadia.
