Top 15 Aristarchus of Samos Quotes

Proposition 18. The earth is to the moon in a [volume] ratio greater than [15.8] that which 1259712 has to 79507, but less than [31.5] that which 216000 has to 6859.

Proposition 17. The diameter of the earth is to the diameter of the moon in a ratio greater than [2.51] that which 108 has to 43, but less than [3.16] that which 60 has to 19.

Proposition 16. The sun has to the earth a [volume] ratio greater than that which 6859 has to 27, but less than that which 79507 has to 216.

Proposition 15. The diameter of the sun has, to the diameter of the earth a ratio greater than [6.3] that which 19 has to 3, but less than [7.2] that which 43 has to 6.

Proposition 14. The straight line joined from the centre of the earth to the centre of the moon has to the straight line cut off from the axis towards the centre of the moon by the straight line subtending the (circumference) within the earth's shadow a ratio greater than that which 675 has to 1.

Proposition 13. The straight line subtending the portion intercepted within the earth's shadow of the circumference of the circle in which the extremities of the diameter of the circle dividing the dark and the bright portions in the moon move is less than double of the diameter of the moon, but has to it a ratio greater than [2.0] that which 88 has to 45; and it is less than 1/9th part of the diameter of the sun, but has to it a ratio greater than [1/10th] that which 22 has to 225. But it has to the straight line drawn from the centre of the sun at right angles to the axis and meeting the sides of the cone a ratio greater than [0.097] that which 979 has to 10125.

Proposition 12. The diameter of the circle which divides the dark and the bright portions in the moon is less than the diameter of the moon, but has to it a ratio greater than [0.99] that which 89 has to 90.

Proposition 11. The diameter of the moon is less than 2/45ths [0.04], but greater than 1/30th [0.03] of the distance of the centre of the moon from our eye.

Proposition 10. The sun has to the moon a [volume] ratio greater than that which 5832 has to 1, but less than that which 8000 has to 1.

Proposition 9. The diameter of the sun is greater than 18 times, but less than 20 times, the diameter of the moon.

Proposition 8. When the sun is totally eclipsed, the sun and the moon are then comprehended by one and the same cone which has its vertex at our eye.

Proposition 7. The distance of the sun from the earth is greater than eighteen times, but less than twenty times, the distance of the moon from the earth.

Proposition 6. The moon moves (in an orbit) lower than (that of) the sun, and, when it is halved, is distant less than a quadrant from the sun.

Proposition 5. When the moon appears to us halved, the great circle parallel to the circle which divides the dark and the bright portions in the moon is then in the direction of our eye; that is to say, the great circle parallel to the dividing circle and our eye are in one plane.

Proposition 4. The circle which divides the dark and the bright portions in the moon is not perceptibly different from a great circle in the moon.