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distance
physics
Learn about this topic in these articles:
astronomical distances
- In astronomy: Determining astronomical distances
A central undertaking in astronomy is the determination of distances. Without a knowledge of astronomical distances, the size of an observed object in space would remain nothing more than an angular diameter and the brightness of a star could not be converted into its…
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navigation
- In navigation: Distance and speed measurements
Distances were cited in the early pilot books in units of a day’s sail. Later, distances were deduced from estimates of the ship’s speed and the lengths of time over which these speeds were maintained. Probably the oldest method of determining the speed is the…
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