[techfreak125]

I performed another experiment today. If the Earth is flat, why is the shadow length I measured at a latitude of 40 degrees 23 arcminutes at 12:03 PM on 12/21/2018 46 inches instead of the 33.5 inches that the flat earth model predicts? I used a piece of plywood 22 11/16 inches long. By measuring the length of a shadow cast by a stick, we can take the arctangent of the length of the stick divided by the length of the shadow to determine the sun's angular elevation above the horizon. I have taken the value for the sun's height from the wiki (3000 mi/4800 km). I have also factored in the declination of the sun and the obliquity of the ecliptic to ensure the most accurate predictions for both models. The flat earth model predicts an angle of 34.088 degrees. The round earth model predicts an angle of 26.162 degrees. The round earth model predicts a shadow length of 46.18 inches. Ergo, the round earth model error is 0.38% (0.097 degrees). The error can easily be explained by atmospheric refraction which is on the order of a few arcminutes. Why does the flat earth model have an error of -23.3% (−14.719 degrees) from reality? How does the flat earth model explain the deviation of the sun's angular elevation from its predictions? θ_sr is the round earth prediction and θ_sf is the flat earth prediction in the following desmos link. https://www.desmos.com/calculator/nskhv0a2kd

[Bobby Shafto]

One flat earther proposed this very experiment, but predicted we'd find a different altitude for the sun. I didn't get that result.

[techfreak125]

I am referring to the altitude in the azimuthal coordinate system, not the height of the sun.

[Bobby Shafto]

I am referring to the altitude in the azimuthal coordinate system, not the height of the sun.

What is altitude in the azimuthal coordinate system? Do you mean elevation angle? Didn't you use an altitude (height above earth) to calculate a predicted angle of elevation for the sun over a flat earth that differed from what was observed?

In this other thread, the FE Opening Post sought to work it the opposite way and claimed that taking an observed angle of the sun, one could calculate its height over a flat earth, for which he derived a value of 5600 miles vice more typical 3000 miles.

Now, if you're talking about something else that I'm missing, and there's no overlap between this topic and that other one, I apologize. I thought you'd just be interested to see that we've been down this road at least once before. And yeah, I agree with your observation.   

[techfreak125]

I meant to say solar elevation angle. Sorry.