What nationality was Ole Rømer?
Swedish
Norwegian
Danish
German
Answer
Danish astronomer Ole Rømer was the first to accurately measure the speed of light. In 1676, he observed that the time between the eclipses of Jupiter's moons appeared to vary depending on the Earth's position in its orbit around the Sun. Rømer correctly deduced that this was because light travels at a finite speed, and he calculated its value to be approximately 220,000 kilometers per second (137,000 miles per second).
Stargazing Through Time: The Ole Rømer Astronomical Challenge
More Questions
In what year did Ole Rømer make his first measurement of the speed of light?
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What are the two fixed points on Rømer's thermometer?
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