THE biggest and most mind-bending coincidence on Earth!

We all experience coincidences almost every day, some small and insignificant, some large and thought provoking. However, there can't be many which can compare, either because of the infinitesimaly small probablity of occurrence or awe-inspiring wonder, with the Solar Eclipse.



Consider this:

Earth's Moon has a diameter of roughly 3500km

The Sun has a diameter of roughly 1,400,000km

1400000 divided by 3500 = 400

So the Sun has a diameter 400 times larger than that of the Moon.

The distance of the Moon from the Earth is roughly 375,000km

The distance of the Sun from the Earth is roughly 150,000,000km

150 million divided by 375,000 = 400

So the Sun is 400 times further away than the Moon
(I have rounded the exact scales for the sake of simplicity)

To reiterate that:

The Sun is 400 times bigger than the Moon but also 400 times further away.

As you can see this amazing set of circumstances concerning the relative sizes and distances between the Earth, Moon and Sun give rise to the incredible phenomena of Solar Eclipses.

The Moon and the Sun both appear to be THE SAME SIZE from our perspective here on Earth even though the Sun is vastly bigger. In fact, during an eclipse, the Moon blocks out the Sun so perfectly that only sunlight travelling through valleys on the moons surface can be seen!

This is what enables what's known as the diamond ring effect seen in the photo above.

What a coincidence. The chances of the situation WE have actually arising on a planet have got to be sooooooo tiny as to be virtually incalculable. In other
words, How lucky are we?!?

And as if that wasn't enough, this hasn't been the case throughout all of Earth's history. The Moon is actually steadily moving away from Earth at about 3.8cm a year so 200 million years ago for example, the Moon would have been too close and too big, more than blocking out the Sun entirely. Conversely, in a few hundred million years the Moon will be too far away and too small to cover the whole Sun during an eclispe.

So, not only have we got the relative distances/sizes to perplex us, but also the fact that intelligent life (us) just happened to evolve within this comparably small period of Earth's history when the Moon appears just right to enable the amazing curiosity of a Solar eclipse to be possible!

Another point of interest is the fact that we have an abnormally large Moon and how this may go some way as to explain why life even evolved here in the first place. The stabalizing effect the Moon's gravity has on the Earth's wobble may well have played a part in the creating the stable environment life requires to evolve, or at least increased the chances of it happening.

phew! Its a lot to take in I know and boggles my mind thinking about it but believe it or not, it gets weirder!

During Solar eclipses, it has been recorded that a pendulum's motion will be perturbed pretty drastically in a way which is not explainable using standard
gravitational models. Known as the 'Allais effect', the phenomenon is controversial and widely disputed amoungst the astrophysical community.


Throughout Human history Solar eclipses have been a source of wonder and amazement. Linked with prophecy, divine activity and a vast array of spiritual events, signs and miracles. Personally, I can think of no other coincidence that even comes close to matching this in scope (unless you get started on Anthropic principle), and it's no wonder the event has always been revered.

It all seems a little bit too much doesn't it? Maybe TOO MUCH of a coincidence for there not to be somthing profound or supernatural behind it...

Imagine some time in the future, if and when we finally become part of 'the Galactic community' if there is such a thing, Alien races will travel to Earth to witness the amazingly unlikely spectacle known as an eclipse. They will gaze in wonder and admiration, all the while envious of our tiny blue dot and how incredibly lucky we are to be on it.

Thanks

Let the wild speculation commence!


sources:

eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov...

en.wikipedia.org...

www.newscientist.com...

ares.jsc.nasa.gov...

www.science-frontiers.com...

en.wikipedia.org...

www.absoluteastronomy.com...


[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

reply to post by Chonx


The moon sorta appears to be the same size of the sun but because it has a complicated non consistent orbit around earth, appears sometimes larger, sometimes smaller.

I'm not sure why the 400 scale thing is so significant.

[edit on 25-2-2009 by Welfhard]

Hi Welfhard

What I am referring to is the fact that the Sun and Moon appear to be the same size from Earth even though they are not and this enables Solar eclipses to be possible. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think what you're talking about is how the moon sometimes appears to be larger or smaller in the sky? This is due to atmospheric lensing magnifying the moon (or the sun) when it is close to the horizon.

thanks

[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

It is always a rare delight to witness an eclipse of any type. But the solar is quite a majestic and beautiful thing.

Nice work on the research, it is an amazing thing to consider this coincidence!

Maybe the size and mass of the objects create mathmatical similaritys when relatively stable orbits are found by planetary bodies. Im just trying to think of anything..... maybe the moon is a gigantic deathstar looking object covered in a few million years of pulvarised asteroids? Im betting on the moon being artificial.

You want some epic coincidences?

Top 15 Amazing Coincidence
Another 10 amazing coincidences

I love listverse.

reply to post by Chonx


Until relatively recent times we were as terrified as any other animal by the incredible spectacle. I`m glad i live in an era which can marvels at its magnificents, rather than cower in terror enduring those moments of darkness, which must of felt like an eternity to our early ancestors.

Just a shift in perspective .

wonder/terror.

When you also consider that it's rotation and orbit are matched as well (This is why the same side always faces us. Rotates once per orbit.), it gets really strange.

Almost like it was artificially stabilized at some point.

Ya know, current theories of the begining of life on Earth credit strong tides with "stirring the soup" that could have given rise to the first primordial life. Tides are caused by the Moon.

I'm just saying....

reply to post by Ambient Sound


The moon perpetually faces us because of the tidal affects locking in in it's orbit.

We are lucky.

The Moon is slowly moving away from the Earth (another effect of tidal locking, mentioned above). There was a time when the moon completely covered the sun during an eclipse. There will be a time when its apparent diameter will be less than that of the Sun, creating an entirely different effect.

Great observatoin to the OT.

Thanks for that. I've always thought of these coincidences, but not to the great deal in which you have wiith the numbers. Interesting.

But having said that. Everything in the universe seems to give us numbers like this, It's crazy. Like it fit to speciic points and precise numerological points that inter link. The astrology and numerology comes into this aswel. How the four seasons are mapped. The equnox. The stars map the sky and all the star signs fit each constelaatoin. How the sun and moon affects us. Everything all seems to be placed, for existence to be and mapped out. The tides, the menstrual cycle in woman our moods and our rhinking patterns in terms of seasons, hibernation of animals all has the cycles of the cosmos arouns os. The fact we have a moon to me, its like it was purposly planted there.


To my conclusion hidden meanings are everywhere, it's why we were given numbers to do the maths


One day we will come to know who and what created us, I will leave it on that note. Thats my two cents' Sorry for spelling erros, I have no contacts lenses in and I can't see very well

[edit on 25-2-2009 by universe attracts wisdom]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated and some great points raised.
Its almost all too convenient isn't it?

Ambient sound, that one sentence 'like it was artificially stabalized at some point' raises so many ideas and possibilities.

evidence for the intervention of......well who knows, I'm not religious or prone to think that we are some alien races experiment but.... well, who knows, you gotta keep an open mind right?

Phage, I actually mentioned that in the original post. Combined with the fact that we are here, NOW and able to witness eclipses is another point of wonder.

thanks again



[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

Originally posted by Chonx
............. This is due to atmospheric lensing magnifying the moon (or the sun) when it is close to the horizon.



[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

Is this the explanation of the phenomenon " the moon illusion" ?

Could you expand on it.

I think i came across it before in The New Scientist or something... quite an optical trick.

reply to post by UmbraSumus


Well after a little digging it appears that atmospheric lensing is NOT responsible for this phenomena as I suggested earlier. It seems that its maybe mearly an Illusion in the mind of the observer although I didn't find anything definite in my quick search so, not sure I'm afraid.

anyhow, not to deviate from this threads topic too much, I suggest that you have a bit of a google and see what you can come up with.

here's the wiki:

en.wikipedia.org...

thanks!

[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

[edit on 25-2-2009 by Chonx]

reply to post by Chonx


Indeed you did. *slaps forehead*
At least I did contribute the reason for the change in distance.

reply to post by Phage


And its much appreciated. Currently reading all about it. Cheers!

The reasoning behind it is acatually pretty complicated isn't it!

profound yes, supernatural? there's no such thing.

there's also no scientific explanation for why a room full of clocks will synchronize.

it's amazing and not at the same time. if no eclipses happened at all that would be just as amazing. not to downplay your point but you kinda faded out at the end. i thought you were gonna hit us with the jesus stick or something.

reply to post by Mozzy


Would you have preferred that? I'm an athiest and as such don't link this to the hand of god although I can see how the faithful would interpret a coincidence of this magnitude in that way. Would it be just as amazing if eclipses didn't happen? I don't think so because the chance of us being on a planet which has them like we do is greatly, almost infinitely smaller than us being on one which doesn't, which is way more likely, but not the case.

That thing about the clocks, I've never heard that before. Is that a real phenomenon or where you being symbolic?

thanks

reply to post by Mozzy


My brother-in-law used to collect clocks. Cuckoo clocks, chime clocks...noisy clocks.

I occasionally spend the night at my sisters house. Believe me, the clocks were never synchronized (much to my BIL's chagrin). He only has two running at any given time nowadays.

[edit on 2/25/2009 by Phage]

Yes, the distance and size ratios of the moon and sun are certainly interesting coincidences.

I also read those lists of other coincidences, interesting as well, and they reminded me of something I witnessed, coincidentally.

I'll tell all of you about it, seeing as we're on the topic of coincidences.

I know I've posted this before somewhere, but I can't remember where.


===========

My coincidental experience...

Back on one of the occasions I visited my parents next to CFB Trenton, I used to hide my smoking from my parents by skipping out of the house at about 11:30 and have a cigarette while walking toward my old high-school, and back home again. Giving me enough time to have my smoke, and walk back allowing some of the smell to fade.

One night, while performing my usual routine, I finished my cigarette just outside the old high-school, tossed it to the ground, and stomped it out.
At that moment, I witnessed what very few people get to witness, a meteor burning through the atmosphere. (Not a mere shooting star).

At first I thought a street light had turned on, the ground became bright.
But the sky was much brighter, a cyan-green hue lit it up.
I watched in amazement as the large looking cyan-green burning meteor passed almost directly above me, passed over the horizon, glowed slightly brighter at the horizon, then the sky went back to black.

I remember distinctly thinking of how rare a sight that must be as I quietly snuck back into the house that night.

The next night, same time, I snuck out of the house again.
As I approached the old High-School, and the end of my cigarette, I remembered the meteor, trying hard to remember exactly how it looked.

(Here's the incredible part of the coincidence)
At that moment, as I threw the cigarette to the ground and stomped it out, you guessed it, the ground lit up cyan-green. I immediately looked above again thinking there's no way such a rare occurrence could happen two nights in a row under the same circumstances.

There it was, another meteor passing almost directly overhead, burning cyan-green, only a tiny bit smaller, and on about 5 degrees (estimated) of a different course than the original.
It passed overhead, down toward the horizon, glowed slightly brighter at the horizon, then everything returned to black.

Almost the same time of night, two nights in a row, me standing in the same location having just put out my cigarette.

The kicker... I was only sleeping at my parents place in Trenton for three nights, two of which I saw the meteors.


Bit of extra information, not part of the coincidence, A CFB Trenton C130 pilot also saw the second meteor come down, and reported it. It was in the Trentonian newspaper.
Me, I came up with an excuse about not being able to sleep and going for a walk in order to tell my parents about the meteors. (Yeah, they figured out I was smoking, but never did confront me about it directly.)
It was my father that sent me the news article once I had returned home.


===========

Personally, I'm still baffled by the events to this day. I really don't know what to think of it.

But I most certainly believe extraordinary coincidences occur now.






[edit on 25-2-2009 by johnsky]