For your consideration, I present two simple proofs that the earth isn't flat. The beauty of these proofs is that they are easy for anyone to verify without expensive equipment or expert knowledge. No faith in NASA/government/scientists required.Sure, I agree, though I believe "the Wiki" maintains that the sun is a 32 mile sphere. Don't get me started on "spotlight sun" or not.
The sun sets below the horizon, maintaining its size and shape.
According to most flat-earthers, the sun is a spotlight, rotating in a plane 3000 miles above the earth. Let's make some predictions based on this model:Doesn't happen. The sun stays approximately the same size.
- The sun should decrease in size as it rotates away from us in the afternoon.
It definitely goes below 20 degrees. In fact, it sinks all the way below 0 degrees. In fact, it is possible to see the sun halfway below the horizon, halfway above the horizon, which should absolutely never be possible.
- The sun should not go below 20 degrees from the horizon (based on 3000 miles distance from earth, and 8000 mile diameter of the equator).
This generally happens in the northern hemisphere! Horray! Unfortunately, near the equator, the sun travels in a straight line due west. Bummer. Significantly south of the equator, the sun even curves to the south. Double bummer.
- The sun should appear to always curve north as it travels across the sky. (The point about which it rotates)
Doesn't happen. The sun stays perfectly round.
- If the sun is a flat disc, it should appear elliptical as it travels away from us.
Well, I do live in the Southern Hemisphere, so the South Celestial Pole is not mystery,but FEers never seem convinced.
The existence of the South Celestial Pole
When we are in the Northern Hemisphere, the stars appear to rotate around some point in the North. This is consistent with both a flat earth and spherical earth. Excellent.
When we are near the Equator, the stars appear to travel due west. Again, this is completely consistent with a spherical earth, but on a flat earth, we would expect the stars to still curve north. What gives?
As we continue moving into the Southern Hemisphere, the point in the North about which the stars rotate sets below the horizon, and another point about which the stars rotate rises in the South. The farther south we go, the higher this "South Celestial Pole" rises in the sky. Again, this is completely consistent with a spherical earth, but completely unexplainable on a flat earth.
Some people mention "Celestial Gears" as an explanation for this phenomenon, but I have never seen it actually described. Until there is at least a slightly plausible model explaining the existence of this phenomenon, it is solid evidence against the flat earth model.
Both of these proofs are easy to verify for yourself. The first requires simple observation of the sun on a clear day, preferably near the ocean so that mountains don't obstruct your view. The second only requires travelling to the Southern Hemisphere (unless you already live there) and observing the stars.
The Coriolis Effect
Wind Currents
The Wind Currents are put into gradual motion by the attraction of the Northern and Southern Celestial Systems, which are grinding against each other as gears at the equator line.
Water Currents
The rotation of small scale liquids in opposing hemispheres was debunked by Snopes.
As for water currents on a large scale; they're simply gradually put into motion by the winds. Water currents in the Northern Hemisphere will tend to rotate in one direction while currents in the Southern Hemisphere will tend to turn in another direction.
The FE explanations for these observations seems quite bizarre to me. Perspective, somehow makes sun seem to set behind the horizon. Magnification by the "atmoplane" keeps the sun (magically, exactly) the same size as it moves from noon to sunset.
One very simple proof that the earth isn't fllat is the flat earth definition of the horizon and the distance to the horizon on a flat earth compared with reality.
If the horizon you describe is your eyes are actually resolving the vertical curvature of the earth, wouldn't you be able to perceive the horizontal curvature as well?
If the horizon you describe is your eyes are actually resolving the vertical curvature of the earth, wouldn't you be able to perceive the horizontal curvature as well?
No, how would that follow? There'd be a number of prerequisites:
The human mind would have to be able, in the first place, to perceive a slight horizontal curvature
You would have to look at objects far enough away that your field of view is at least a few kilometers wide
You would have to still be able to perceive the resulting difference even at that distance
Are all these conditions actually met?
You ask "wouldn't you be able to perceive the horizontal curvature as well?" No, not at ALL.One very simple proof that the earth isn't fllat is the flat earth definition of the horizon and the distance to the horizon on a flat earth compared with reality.
If the horizon you describe is your eyes are actually resolving the vertical curvature of the earth, wouldn't you be able to perceive the horizontal curvature as well?
That is absolute proof that the horizon isn't the curvature of the earth, just the resolution of your eyes or whatever apparatus you're using looking into the distance, subject to the rules of perspective.
I tried merging the sky from the left one and the lower part from the right picture and ended up with the picture on the right. Yes, it's a "composite (fake)" picture, but is something like the way I would imagine the Flat Earth horizon to look. | Wide spacer | (http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w433/RabDownunder/Blurred%20High%20Altitude%20Horizon_zpsh7wcx1up.png) |
One very simple proof that the earth isn't fllat is the flat earth definition of the horizon and the distance to the horizon on a flat earth compared with reality.
Another simple reason the horizon is definite proof that the earth isn't flat.:
If the earth was flat the horizon would be at a great distance - where the "dome" meets the "ice wall" - and you would probably just see a blur because of the thickness of the "atmoplane" in between.
I want to add to this. I hope you FE believe in how solar systems form. You know right? A giant mass of gas and dust gathered around, then the center builds up mass into the star, then that speeds up rotation and causes the particles to collide and grow. Anyways, how would a flat earth do that? How do we see the other plants in our solar system, or the tails of the Milky Way? Why is earth the only Flat thing in the universe? Look I like what you guys are doing. This is what science is about. Bending something each and every way to try and prove it wrong (even though it's already proven that earth is round) But another thing is how does the other plants stay around us? the comets, the asteroid belt, the kuipler system? Where do meteoroids come from? I hope you don't say something like "look it up yourself you filthy round earther" but I don't really have the time to search every page to find out how that works. Oh and also how about the new planet? The one bigger or the same size as Jupiter? How does that work too?
One very simple proof that the earth isn't fllat is the flat earth definition of the horizon and the distance to the horizon on a flat earth compared with reality.
If the horizon you describe is your eyes are actually resolving the vertical curvature of the earth, wouldn't you be able to perceive the horizontal curvature as well?
That is absolute proof that the horizon isn't the curvature of the earth, just the resolution of your eyes or whatever apparatus you're using looking into the distance, subject to the rules of perspective.
If the horizon you describe is your eyes are actually resolving the vertical curvature of the earth, wouldn't you be able to perceive the horizontal curvature as well?
That is absolute proof that the horizon isn't the curvature of the earth, just the resolution of your eyes or whatever apparatus you're using looking into the distance, subject to the rules of perspective.
Standing in the middle of a circle, looking outward at its arc, you would see straight lines. You have to look at the circle from outside to recognize its curve.