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Which optical phenomenon enabled Ibn al-Haytham's precise determination of star distances using parallax?

A)Atmospheric refraction shifting star positions
B)Spherical aberration distorting stellar shapes
C)Chromatic aberration creating false colors
D)Diffraction blurring distant stellar images

💡 Explanation

When observing stars, atmospheric refraction occurs because varying air densities bend the light paths, causing stars to appear shifted from their true positions, affecting the measured parallax angle. Therefore, atmospheric refraction must be accounted for, rather than aberration or diffraction, which have different causes.

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