The first known estimate of the solar mass was by Isaac Newton. In his work Principia (1687), he estimated that the ratio of the mass of Earth to the Sun was about . Later he determined that his value was based upon a faulty value for the solar parallax, which he had used to estimate the distance to the Sun. He corrected his estimated ratio to in the third edition of the Principia. The current value for the solar parallax is smaller still, yielding an estimated mass ratio of .
The first known estimate of the solar mass was by Isaac Newton In his work Principia (1687), he estimated that the ratio of the mass of Earth to the Sun was about . Later he determined that his value was based upon a faulty value for the solar parallax, which he had used to estimate the distance to the Sun. He corrected his estimated ratio to in the third edition of the Principia The current value for the solar parallax is smaller still, yielding an estimated mass ratio of .