Parallax
Parallax is the apparent shift in position of an object when viewed from different angles. Imagine holding your finger in front of your face and closing one eye, then the other. Your finger seems to move against the background; this is parallax. It’s used in various fields, like astronomy, where it helps measure distances to stars. By observing a star from two points in Earth's orbit around the Sun, astronomers can calculate its distance based on how much it appears to shift relative to more distant stars. This principle highlights how perspective influences our perception of space.
Additional Insights
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Parallax refers to the apparent shift in the position of an object when viewed from different angles or perspectives. This phenomenon occurs due to the change in the observer's position. For example, if you hold your finger in front of your eyes and look at it with one eye closed, then switch eyes, your finger seems to move against the background. In astronomy, parallax is used to measure distances to nearby stars by observing their position against more distant stars from two different points in Earth's orbit. This helps astronomers determine how far away objects in space are.