Question

The parallax method is used to measure astronomical distances because ______.

Options

• We can travel to planets and measure distances

• A measuring tape can be stretched through space

• A distant object appears to shift when viewed from two locations

• Stars directly tell us their distance through their light

Answer 1

The parallax method is used to measure astronomical distances because a distant object appears to shift when viewed from two locations.

Explanation:

Parallax is the apparent change in position of an object when observed from two different points. By measuring this angle and knowing the baseline (distance between observation points), we can calculate the distance using the formula D = b / θ.