Applying Social Media for Measure Earth's Circumference from Different Locations on the Vernal Equinox

Abstract

The calculation of the Earth’s circumference using Eratosthenes’ method requires that; (1) the vertical angle of the sun at solar noon between two locations along the same line of longitude, and (2) the distance between the two locations. The Earth’s circumference measurement on 2014 Vernal Equinox operated with the same method and difference technique. On the Vernal Equinox the Sun move on the Equator, the vertical angle and distance between two locations could be referred with the Equator. The naïve participants (N=67) from different locations (Thailand, Lao, and New Zealand) successes the measurement through the social media which was applied to support this project. The results reveal that the online network highly supported teachers and students to complete the activity. They only learning the content from the weblog, 82.32% of them intensively understand the activity and using the Google earth program for measure the distance between their locations to equator. The scientific results have 0.02-12.50 % error which less than the Eratosthenes error (15.60%). It also indicated that social media could be used to create a collaborative network for science laboratory and developing astronomy teaching and learning in both Thailand and ASEAN country.