Why are the sun & moon viewed the same size from earth?

[Bones]

This may be a bit of a stupid or strange question, but I often spend time thinking about astronomy and bodies in space.

It seems to me a very unlikely coincidence that the sun and the moon just happen to be the same size when viewed from earth. (For the most part however, the moon's size/distance does vary somewhat).

When a total solar eclipse happens for instance, and when you are on the right spot on earth, the moon can pretty much cover the sun at a perfect fit so that only the sun's corona is visible.

Do you think it is in fact purely coincidence? or is there some reason why this is so, and if so, then what?

[Kahlenda]

Re: Why are the sun & moon viewed the same size from earth?

relative size and distance, but if you actually look at the sun through lens to block ou the excess light its actually about 1 tenth smaller than the moon

[Oshii]

Re: Why are the sun & moon viewed the same size from earth?

I'm not very good at explaining scientific stuff so I found you a link that go over this question.

http://earthsky.org/space/coincidence-that-sun-and-moon-seem-same-size

Bottom line: The sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than that of the moon – and the sun is also about 400 times farther from Earth. So the sun and moon appear nearly the same size as seen from Earth