During a total solar eclipse the Moon just covers the Sun as viewed from Earth. If you know both the diameter and distance of the Moon, what else can you determine from this information?
A)the diameter of the Sun but not its distance
B)the distance to the Sun but not its diameter
C)both the diameter and distance to the Sun
D)only the ratio of the Sun's diameter to its distance

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During a total solar eclipse, the apparent size of the Moon in the sky matches the apparent size of the Sun. This allows us to determine the ratio of the Sun's diameter to its distance (since the same ratio applies to the Moon, whose diameter and distance we know), but not the absolute values of the Sun's diameter or distance without additional information.

During a Total Solar Eclipse the Moon Just Covers the Sun