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Flat Earth Theory / The rotation of stars in FET

« on: April 10, 2015, 02:50:35 PM »

2. There are circumpolar stars in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Their centres of rotation are always either due North or due South respectively. The stars in between rise and set on the horizon much like the sun does. There is no flat Earth model which can account for this.

The other thread isn't going anywhere. Lets move on to reason 2. I want to set a restriction on this one, consider it a challenge. I want you to give an account of the circumpolar stars that doesn't involve any concepts that aren't scientific. No strange ideas about whirlpools in space. Just a straight forward explanation that only uses standard geometry, optics and physics. If you want to argue that there are no circumpolar stars in the Southern hemisphere please don't waste my time. This challenge is premised on the assumption that there are circumpolar stars in the Southern hemisphere, the evidence that there are is overwhelming. To suggest that there aren't is to invoke a conspiracy of epic proportions.

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Flat Earth Theory / Reasons for believing the Earth is round

« on: April 03, 2015, 11:34:23 PM »

1. The angular or apparent size of the sun in the sky does not change significantly. It changes slightly over the course of a year but not by any measurable amount over the course of a day. The only explanation for this is that the diameter of the Earth is negligible compared to the distance to the sun. If the sun is a distant object then all the light from it must be parallel. However, the angle of incoming sunlight is known to change gradually over the surface of the Earth: there are time zones. The only explanation for this is that the Earth is round.

2. There are circumpolar stars in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Their centres of rotation are always either due North or due South respectively. The stars in between rise and set on the horizon much like the sun does. There is no flat Earth model which can account for this.

3. In the summer in Antarctica the sun is visible 24 hours a day. At the same time it is dark 24 hours a day in the Arctic. If the sun is following a giant circle above a flat disc it couldn't possibly be visible at all points around the edge of the disc while not being visible at the centre of the disc.

4. The sun sets. If the sun is following a giant circle above a flat disc it could never be seen to drop to an angle of elevation of less than 0 degrees. Also, its apparent size would change significantly over the course of a day and it would be seen to follow a radically different path in the sky.

5. Ships disappear over the horizon at the exact distance from shore as you would predict them to do if you were standing on a sphere with a radius of 4000 miles. Once they disappear the strongest telescope in the world won't bring them back into view. However, if you climb to higher ground the horizon line moves further away and you can see the ship again. The only explanation for these facts is that the world is round.

6. The curvature of the Earth had to be taken into account when building The Verrazano–Narrows Bridge.

7. The distance from the North Pole to the equator is about 6 200 miles. If the Earth is flat that would mean the equator is a circle with a circumference of 39 000 miles. The equator has a circumference of 25 000 miles. 

8. According to the flat Earth model with The North Pole at the centre; the Tropic of Cancer should have a circumference of about 29 000 miles and the Tropic of Capricorn should have a circumference of about 49 000 miles. They both have a circumference of about 23 000 miles. Coupled with the fact that the equator has a circumference of 25 000 miles, this overwhelmingly suggests that the Earth is a spheroid.