[Tom Haws]

I may start reading the Wiki. As I do, I am bound to have review comments. Where is the right forum to post them?

[Pete Svarrior]

You've already found it - Suggestions and Concerns is the place to be.

I am in charge of the Wiki and I'm more than happy to accept reasonable suggestions and corrections.

Bear in mind, however, that I reserve the right to determine what is and isn't "reasonable". In case of substantial changes to the theories described, those would only be accepted with popular support. For example, if you're thinking about wasting everyone's time by suggesting "corrections" that simply reflect the Round Earth worldview, or views of fringe FE groups, save yourself the trouble.

[Tom Haws]

Thanks.

I find that the first obstacle to my reviewing the Wiki is the lack of a clear flat earth theory. For example, I am reviewing the article https://wiki.tfes.org/Erathostenes_on_Diameter. I would like to discuss it rigorously. But I find I am handicapped by limited information about the flat earth. Let me ask a few questions pertinent to that article:

1. Is the flat earth flat? In other words, on a clear day, can I see from a point 6 miles above sea level at any point on earth to a point 6 miles above sea level at any other point on earth? (I chose 6 miles because Mount Everest is 5.5 miles above sea level).

2. Is the sun (or anything else) generally in the direction it appears to be? In other words, are effects like refraction negligible in atmospheric observances like that of Eratosthenes?

3. Is the FE sun some distance considerably less than 93 million miles away? And I suppose it is not too impertinent to ask the exact range of how far away the sun is (though in my FE naivete I would expect the height of the sun to be the very result of the Eratosthenes experiment once we consider it more rigorously)?

4. Generally speaking, is there a flat earth theory that will predict exactly where (lat, lon, elevation) the sun is at any given moment? In other words, is there a flat earth theory that enables us to fly to the sun (or, say, 80% of the way to the sun) to do further tests?

[Pete Svarrior]

It would appear that you are trying to simultaneously learn the very basics of FET and review the Wiki. That will be a tall order in the current culture of the FE movement.

I'll take your comments into consideration, but most of your questions venture firmly into Q&A or debate territory and should be raised as separate threads in their respective boards.

[Tom Haws]

It would appear that you are trying to simultaneously learn the very basics of FET and review the Wiki. That will be a tall order in the current culture of the FE movement.

I'll take your comments into consideration, but most of your questions venture firmly into Q&A or debate territory and should be raised as separate threads in their respective boards.

Maybe. It is a very brief and concise article, and it seems it would not portend well for Flat Earth if a bunch of esoteric knowledge is needed to read it and understand it. Should I just dive in and start asking my direct questions about the article?

[Tom Haws]

I think I now understand enough about the flat-earth thinking on this site to resume my review of the article. I will share my concerns as they arise.

[Tom Haws]

The wiki article on Eratosthenes assumes a round Earth. It appears to be assuming a round earth that is concave upward. That is the only possible way that the suggested calculation makes any sense at all.

With a flat Earth, the correct calculation gives a height of 4000 miles for the Sun, but it does not give any reasonable estimate for the size of the Earth. Using the coincidentally chosen cities of Alexandria and Syene, the 66th parallel south of the equator
(90 degrees of latitude south of Syene) is an infinite distance to the south of Syene, and the 90th parallel north of the equator is 4000 miles times the tangent of 66 degrees, or nine thousand miles north of Syene. These distances would change if Eratosthenes had measured two different cities.

The given numbers for anyone who may be reading this thread without looking at the wiki article or without any faith in the wiki article are as follows:

Syene is on the Nile at approximately the Tropic of Cancer or 24 degrees. It is at the current site of Aswan.

Alexandria is roughly 500 Miles, 5000 stadia, or 8000 km north of Syene. Eratosthenes found the sun to be 7 degrees south of Alexandria when it was directly overhead at Syene.

[Pete Svarrior]

As previously advised S&C is not the right place for you to raise your misunderstandings of FET or its explanations. Please take it to the appropriate board.

[juner]

As previously advised S&C is not the right place for you to raise your misunderstandings of FET or its explanations. Please take it to the appropriate board.

Pete is right. Locked.