Inquiring-mind Science: How Far Is the Moon?

“My son (13yo) loved this class, he loved learning math he had not learned before, the instructions were very clear and he enjoyed them a lot. He loved learning the historical context and is already looking for other classes with this teacher. He really enjoyed the class! Thank you!”
–Judith V., parent, about the Outschool place “Inquiring-mind Science: How Far Is the Sun? How Far Are the Planets?,” 1 Apr 2020

Schedule: This is a 1.5-hour class.

Format: Lecture with some class participation. We will learn concepts and practice them to attain the mastery we can in a short time. No grading; homework is optional.

Cost: $30 per person for a group class of 4 or more students; $99 for one-on-one tutoring.

Payment options: Payments can be made via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, cash, or check.

Materials: Pencil and paper.

For more details or to schedule a class, contact Michael by email at michaelgold@goldams.com or by phone at 281-770-2276.

Class Description.

How big is our solar system? How far apart are the planets? How do we know?

You can figure it out!

But first we need to know how far the moon is from earth. We will learn how scientists did that. It was possible only after scientists figured out how big the earth was. (My class How Big Is the Earth? is a prerequisite to this class.)

Scientists could then figure out how far the sun was from earth! Then figure out how far the other planets were from the sun!

You get started on that process in this class, where we will learn how scientists figured out how far the moon was from earth and do some of their calculations ourselves, and so learn a bit about how to do science ourselves. Time permitting, we will figure out the distance to the moon in two or three ways.

Without this knowledge, we are missing understanding of physics and the solar system: to understand an idea, we need to know where it comes from. Modern astronomy and knowledge of the solar system builds on this calculation.

We will do a combination of lecture, Q&A, and independent work.

Students need some knowledge of geometry: circles, polygons, circumference, arc measure, parallel lines, similar triangles. (Maybe external angles of a triangle, if we get to that.) But we will review these concepts in class.

Note: A prerequisite to this class is my class How Big Is the Earth?

“We really enjoyed the Ecology class with Michael Gold! He chose a wonderful textbook for my daughter to use: “Minnesota’s Natural Heritage.” He made it interesting, relevant, and understandable. As a homeschool mom, it’s always a challenge to find good teachers that I can rely on to supplement the holistic education I try to give my children. Michael does just that! He’s knowledgeable, thorough, logical, and even brings a sense of humor to the class! I can’t recommend him highly enough for someone who, like me, wants more for their children. Thank you, Outschool, for providing such good teachers at reasonable costs! We’ll be signing up for more classes soon!”
–Melanie K., parent, about the Outschool class “Ecology (Chp 5 by John Tester): The Northern Coniferous Forest,” 4 Feb 2020

“My daughter truly enjoyed the class and has motivated her further study in science. She also appreciated Mr. Gold’s passion and excitement for science!”
–Chigusa, parent, about the Outschool class “Logic Corner: What Is Science?,” 12 Feb 2020