Eratosthenes' Calculation of Earth's Circumference

In 240 B.C., the Greek astronomer Eratosthenes

made the first good measurement of the size of
Earth. By noting the angles of shadows in two cities
on the Summer Solstice, and by performing the right
calculations using his knowledge of geometry and
the distance between the cities, Eratosthenes was
able to make a remarkably accurate calculation of
the circumference of Earth. Let's take a closer look
at how he did it!

Eratosthenes lived in the city of Alexandria, near the

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mouth of the Nile River by the Mediterranean coast,
in northern Egypt. He knew that on a certain day
each year, the Summer Solstice, in the town of Syene
in southern Egypt, there was no shadow at the
bottom of a well. He realized that this meant the Sun
was directly overhead in Syene at noon on that day
each year.

Eratosthenes knew that the Sun was never directly

Click the green "forward" button to step
through the animation. (Note: If you
cannot see the animation above, or it is
not working properly, you may need to
download the latest Flash player.)
overhead, even on the Summer Solstice, in his home
city of Alexandria, which is further north than
Syene. He realized that he could determine how far
away from directly overhead the Sun was in
Alexandria by measuring the angle formed by a
shadow from a vertical object. He measured the
length of the shadow of a tall tower in Alexandria,
and used simple geometry to calculate the angle
between the shadow and the vertical tower. This
angle turned out to be about 7.2 degrees.

Next, Eratosthenes used a bit more geometry to reason that the shadow's angle would be the same
as the angle between Alexandria and Syene as measured from the Earth's center. Conveniently, 7.2
degrees is 1/50th of a full circle ( 50 x 7.2° = 360° ). Eratosthenes understood that if he could
determine the distance between Alexandria and Syene, he would merely have to multiply that
distance by 50 to find the circumference of Earth!
Here's where things get a bit tricky. Eratosthenes had the distance between the two cities measured.
His records show that the distance was found to be 5,000 stadia. The stadion (plural = stadia) was a
common distance unit of the time. Unfortunately, there was not a universal, standard length for the
stadion; so we don't know exactly which version of the stadion Eratosthenes used, and therefore are
not exactly sure how accurate his solution was. He may have been correct to within less than 1%, a
remarkable accomplishment! Or, if it was actually a different stadion that he used, he may have
been off by about 16%. That is still pretty good! The actual polar circumference of Earth is just a bit
over 40 thousand km (about 24,860 miles).

Eratosthenes was a talented mathematician and geographer as well as an astronomer. He made

several other important contributions to science. Eratosthenes devised a system of latitude and
longitude, and a calendar that included leap years. He invented the armillary sphere, a mechanical
device used by early astronomers to demonstrate and predict the apparent motions of the stars in
the sky. He also compiled a star catalog that included 675 stars. His measurement of the
circumference of Earth was highly respected in his day, and set the standard for many years
thereafter. He may have also measured the distances from Earth to both the Moon and to the Sun,
but the historical accounts of both deeds are, unfortunately, rather cryptic.

Eratosthenes' Calculation of Earth's Circumference

Eratosthenes was a Greek astronomer in ancient
times. Around 240 B.C. he made the first good
measurement of the size of the Earth. How did he do
that?

Eratosthenes used the lengths of shadows to figure

This plug-in is not supported
out how high in the sky the Sun was in a certain
place on a certain day. He knew of another place
where there was no shadow at all on the same day.
That meant the Sun was straight overhead. He found
out the distance between the two places, then used
some geometry to figure out the rest. Let's take a
closer look!

Eratosthenes lived in the city of Alexandria.

Alexandria is in northern Egypt. It is by the Nile
River and the Mediterranean Sea. There was a tall
tower in Alexandria. Eratosthenes measured the
length of the tower's shadow on the Summer
Solstice. He used that information plus some
geometry to figure out the angle between the Sun
and straight up.

Click the green "forward" button to step
through the animation. (Note: If you
cannot see the animation above, or it is
not working properly, you may need to
download the latest Flash player.)
There was a town in southern Egypt called Syene.
There was a well in Syene. On the Summer Solstice,
the Sun shone straight down the well to the very
bottom. That meant the Sun must be straight
overhead.

Eratosthenes had someone measure the distance

between Alexandria and Syene. He used that distance, what he knew about the Sun's angles, and a
bit of geometry to figure out the size of the Earth.
We aren't quite sure what answer Eratosthenes came up with, though. The distance between
Alexandria and Syene was measured in stadia. The stadion was a distance unit that was often used
in ancient times. However, not everybody used a stadion of the same length. If Eratosthenes used
one length for the stadion, his answer was really, really good. The Earth is about 40 thousand
kilometers (about 24,860 miles) around. The measurement that Eratosthenes made might have been
within about 1% of this. That would be amazing! However, he might have used a different length
stadion. If that is true, his answer was off by about 16%. That is still pretty good!

Eratosthenes may have also done some measurements of the distance from Earth to the Moon and
from Earth to the Sun. Unfortunately, the records of that are not very clear. So we aren't quite sure
whether he ever did make those measurements, or what his answers really were if he did.

Eratosthenes' Calculation of Earth's Circumference

Eratosthenes was a Greek astronomer in ancient
times. Around 240 B.C. he made the first good
measurement of the size of the Earth. How did he do
that?

Eratosthenes used the lengths of shadows to figure

This plug-in is not supported
out how high in the sky the Sun was in a certain
place on a certain day. He knew of another place
where there was no shadow at all on the same day.
That meant the Sun was straight overhead. He found
out the distance between the two places, then used
some geometry to figure out the rest. Let's take a
closer look!

Eratosthenes lived in the city of Alexandria.

Alexandria is in northern Egypt. It is by the Nile
River and the Mediterranean Sea. There was a tall
tower in Alexandria. Eratosthenes measured the
length of the tower's shadow on the Summer
Solstice. He used that information plus some
geometry to figure out the angle between the Sun
and straight up.

Click the green "forward" button to step
through the animation. (Note: If you
cannot see the animation above, or it is
not working properly, you may need to
download the latest Flash player.)
There was a town in southern Egypt called Syene.
There was a well in Syene. On the Summer Solstice,
the Sun shone straight down the well to the very
bottom. That meant the Sun must be straight
overhead.

Eratosthenes had someone measure the distance

between Alexandria and Syene. He used that distance, what he knew about the Sun's angles, and a
bit of geometry to figure out the size of the Earth.

So what answer did he get? We know now that Earth is about 40 thousand kilometers (about 24,860
miles) around. We don't know for sure what answer Eratosthenes got. His measurement between
Alexandria and Syene was in stadia. The stadion was used to measure distance in ancient times. It
was used like a kilometer or a mile is used today. We don't know for sure how long the stadion that
Eratosthenes used was. It might have been one length, or it might have been another. So maybe his
answer was really, really good. It might have been within 1% of the right answer! Or it might not
have been quite so good. It may have been off by about 16%. Either way, his answer was at least
pretty good.

Page created July 20, 2007 by Randy Russell. Last modified July 31, 2007 by Randy Russell.
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