The Flat Earth Society

Flat Earth Discussion Boards => Flat Earth Community => Topic started by: truth on July 13, 2016, 05:48:38 PM

Title: Antarctica and Greenland are really that big as google show us.
Post by: truth on July 13, 2016, 05:48:38 PM

Antarctica is a real continent and it is the biggest continent.
Greenland is as big +- as Africa,
People want's Antarctica to be frozen because it make the Ground to disappear and the ground is a truthful being.

Title: Re: Antarctica and Greenland are really that big as google show us.
Post by: rabinoz on July 14, 2016, 12:41:50 PM

Quote from: truth on July 13, 2016, 05:48:38 PM

Antarctica is a real continent and it is the biggest continent.
Greenland is as big +- as Africa,
People want's Antarctica to be frozen because it make the Ground to disappear and the ground is a truthful being.

Google is not claiming anything. It's all in the map projection used.

(https://thegandr.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/peters-vs-mercator.png)
Gall-Peters Projection (left) and Mercator Projection (right)

Since the Earth is a Globe, it is not possible to make a flat map covering a large area without considerable distortion.
The Mercator map is commonly used because it preserves local shapes and directions, but as can easily seen, it grossly exaggerates sizes (areas) as the poles are approached. In fact, the poles themselves can never appear on the "Equatorial" Mercator's projecton map.

On the other hand, the Gall-Peters Projection preserves the areas in correct proportion, but severely distorts the shapes as the poles are approached. You cannot preserve all these features at once on a flat map.

There are hundreds of different projections, all with their own strengths and weaknesses.

By showing only a limited area the shapes and sizes can be reasonably well shown, as on these three views of the regions mentioned.

(http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w433/RabDownunder/20160714%20-%20Google%20Earth%20-%20Africa%2025000%20km_zpseesgftvb.png) Google Earth, Africa

(http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w433/RabDownunder/20160714%20-%20Google%20Earth%20-%20Greenland%2025000%20km_zps4lqxcyb7.png) Google Earth, Greenland

(http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w433/RabDownunder/20160714%20-%20Google%20Earth%20-%20Antarctica%2025000%20km_zpsovdzyj3v.png) Google Earth, Antarctica

Here is Africa, Greenland and Antarctica on Google Earth with as close as I could get to a 25,000 km "eye altitude" in each case. Where's the problem?

Now, Google Earth shows a part of the globe as it would look from the stated "eye altitude",
on the other hand, Google Maps uses what is essentially a Mercator Projection, often called a "web Mercator" because some simplifications to speed up an interactive display.
Mercator is used here to keep local shapes looking right, and to eneblr smooth scrolling right down to street level.

So Google has nothing to do with your "problem".  They just take the data (effectively in Latitude, Longitude and Elevation) and then convert that to display as a Mercator Projection.

So, don't "blame" Google. The Mercator has been used for centuries because it makes navigation easier.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Mercator_1569.png)
The 1569 Mercator map of the world From Public Domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=730484)

Yes, it looks a little different, but it's a very early Mercator Projection of the Globe.

Title: Re: Antarctica and Greenland are really that big as google show us.
Post by: truth on July 14, 2016, 01:28:22 PM

I know about the Mercator projection, but I do feel that Greenland is really big as Africa and Antarctica the biggest of them all.
You can say that the Mercator projection is been favorite by google because it easy to navigate according to it.
but the truth is that people has a hint that Greenland is that big.
The google earth and all satellites are pictures taken by non-human beings that give us the reflection of our mind, therefore you see Greenland small and the earth with curvature.

By the way, once there was a picture from satellite showing Greenland as big as in google maps.

Title: Re: Antarctica and Greenland are really that big as google show us.
Post by: TotesNotReptilian on July 14, 2016, 03:36:04 PM

Quote from: truth on July 14, 2016, 01:28:22 PM

I know about the Mercator projection, but I do feel that Greenland is really big as Africa and Antarctica the biggest of them all.

How/where did you get this "feeling"?

Quote

but the truth is that people has a hint that Greenland is that big.

What hint? Who are the "people" that have received this hint? Where did the hint come from?

Title: Re: Antarctica and Greenland are really that big as google show us.
Post by: truth on July 14, 2016, 04:50:39 PM

Quote from: TotesNotReptilian on July 14, 2016, 03:36:04 PM

Quote from: truth on July 14, 2016, 01:28:22 PM

I know about the Mercator projection, but I do feel that Greenland is really big as Africa and Antarctica the biggest of them all.

How/where did you get this "feeling"?

Quote

but the truth is that people has a hint that Greenland is that big.

What hint? Who are the "people" that have received this hint? Where did the hint come from?

Google use the Mercator projection they have a reason other than the reason they claim for this one.

Title: Re: Antarctica and Greenland are really that big as google show us.
Post by: TotesNotReptilian on July 14, 2016, 08:30:22 PM

Quote from: truth on July 14, 2016, 04:50:39 PM

Quote from: TotesNotReptilian on July 14, 2016, 03:36:04 PM

Quote from: truth on July 14, 2016, 01:28:22 PM

I know about the Mercator projection, but I do feel that Greenland is really big as Africa and Antarctica the biggest of them all.

How/where did you get this "feeling"?

Quote

but the truth is that people has a hint that Greenland is that big.

What hint? Who are the "people" that have received this hint? Where did the hint come from?

Google use the Mercator projection they have a reason other than the reason they claim for this one.

And what reason is that?

Title: Re: Antarctica and Greenland are really that big as google show us.
Post by: rabinoz on July 14, 2016, 11:00:48 PM

Quote from: truth on July 14, 2016, 04:50:39 PM

Quote from: TotesNotReptilian on July 14, 2016, 03:36:04 PM

Quote from: truth on July 14, 2016, 01:28:22 PM

I know about the Mercator projection, but I do feel that Greenland is really big as Africa and Antarctica the biggest of them all.

How/where did you get this "feeling"?

Quote

but the truth is that people has a hint that Greenland is that big.

What hint? Who are the "people" that have received this hint? Where did the hint come from?

Google use the Mercator projection they have a reason other than the reason they claim for this one.

You're not alone, might read: Why every world map you're looking at is WRONG (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2596783/Why-world-map-youre-looking-WRONG-Africa-China-Mexico-distorted-despite-access-accurate-satellite-data.html#ixzz4EQNPgoBs).

Have you ever looked up the "reason they claim for this one"?

And someone asked the same question on Quora.com in Why does Google maps use the inaccurate, ancient and distorted Mercator Projection? (https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/maps/A2ygEJ5eG-o) The question was

Quote

Dear Google Maps,
Every time I see a "Powered By Google" website display the default Google world map, I wince and wonder "why does the most sophisticated information technology company in the world use the most distorted and archaic world map known to humankind?".

The Mercator Projection distorts the world, giving the false impression that Greenland is the size of South America, Asia is ginormous and Alaska is bigger than Mexico - all inaccuracies that are being presented by Google. Google's reputation for accuracy means that these distortions are reinforced in our conscience as facts.

The Mercator Projection is 440 years old and provided one practical purpose - bearings can be accurately drawn. The utility of this begins and ends with nautical navigation - clearly not the primary purpose of Google maps.

I urge Google to be responsible with the world's knowledge and follow the advice of numerous cartographic associations that request that the Mercator Project not be used. For anything. Ever.
Many viable alternatives are available, including the Winkel Tripel projection which is the modern standard world map adopted by the National Geographic Society.
Is it not time for Google Maps to come forward, at least to the 20th century?

Thank you.
Map lover,
John

And the answer was

Quote

Joel H said:
Hi John - Thanks for the feedback. (Google) Maps uses Mercator because it preserves angles.  The first launch of (Google) Maps actually did not use Mercator, and streets in high latitude places like Stockholm did not meet at right angles on the map the way they do in reality. While this distorts a 'zoomed-out view' of the map, it allows close-ups (street level) to appear more like reality. The majority of our users are looking down at the street level for businesses, directions, etc... so we're sticking with this projection for now. In the meantime, you might want to look at our favorite 3D view of the world.

Google Earth: (https://www.google.com/earth/images/homepage/icon-earth_2x.png) (https://www.google.com/earth/)

(my highlighting)

For your information, here is the "Winkel Tripel Projection" referred to:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Winkel_triple_projection_SW.jpg/600px-Winkel_triple_projection_SW.jpg)
Winkel tripel projection of the world. 15° graticule.

See more in: Winkel tripel projection, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winkel_tripel_projection) As you can see it too has the problem of distorted angles at high latitudes.

By the way, the actual areas are:

Greenland		2.17 million km2,
Antarctica		14.2 million km2 and
Africa		30.2 million km2

So, you don't have to go by your "feelings".