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Sep 1, 2014 · The only shape that fits that definition is the sphere. So, gravity is the answer to why Earth is round! If you've seen pictures of asteroids that exist in outer space, you may have noticed that some of them are irregular, rocky shapes. That's because they're not big enough to pull themselves into a sphere.
The Earth’s round shape has significant implications for how we experience life on the planet. From the force of gravity to weather patterns, here are a few ways the Earth’s shape impacts us: Gravity : Gravity pulls objects toward the center of the Earth, and since the Earth is roughly spherical, this means that no matter where you are on the planet, you experience gravity in the same ...
- Ultimate Globes
Mar 10, 2009 · We have also recorded an episode of Astronomy Cast about Earth, answering a few questions, like why is Earth round. This was part of our tour through the Solar System – Episode 51: Earth . Share ...
- Circumnavigation
- Constellations
- Visibility
- Shadows
- Eclipse
- Time Zones
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, financed by the Spanish Crown, began the first successful circumnavigation of the globe. Over a period of 3 years from August 1519 to September 1522, Magellan and his crew crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans departing from and returning to Seville, Spain. Many years later, the Transglobe Expedition traver...
Constellations are groups of stars that are grouped into patterns or images. Philosophers from Ancient Greece and India noticed that depending on where you were located you would see different stars. In the 4th century BCE, the Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle discovered that the stars seen in Egypt and the stars seen in Cypruswere different tha...
Many philosophers, geographers, and sailors noticed that the curvature of the earth limits visibility when sailing. Strabo and Claudius Ptolemy both pointed out that when sailing towards objects they tend to rise from the sea as they are hidden by the curvature of the earth. In addition, taller objects like mountains are visible at greater distance...
Many philosophers used observation of shadows to confirm that the earth is round. Eratosthenes attempted to calculate the circumference of earth based on these shadows when he learned that during the Summer Solstice, the sun was directly overhead in Syene leaving no shadow while in nearby Alexandria, the sun cast a shadow. This difference led him t...
Aristotle, in addition to his observation of the stars, also noticed that during a lunar eclipse, the earth created a round shadow on the moon. This can be observed time and time again as the earth creates a dark circular shadow that moves across the moon. The eclipse works to prove that the earth is round in two ways. Firstly, the eclipse is only ...
As the earth spins on its axis, parts of the globe are in sunlight while others are in darkness. Ancient timekeepers determined that the sun reached its highest point in the sky at noon and organized the hours of the day against that. As the sun reaches its highest point in the sky at different times for different locations, local solar noon establ...
- Jessica Dillinger
Apr 12, 2007 · Earth's shape also changes over time due to a menagerie of other dynamic factors. Mass shifts around inside the planet, altering those gravitational anomalies. Mountains and valleys emerge and ...
Oct 4, 2017 · Today, scientists use geodesy, which is the science of measuring Earth’s shape, gravity and rotation. Geodesy provides accurate measurements that show Earth is round. With GPS and other satellites, scientists can measure Earth’s size and shape to within a centimeter. Pictures from space also show Earth is round like the moon.
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Number ten. All the other planets and stars we've ever seen are round, and there's no reason to indicate that the earth should be any different. Number nine. Time zones. Day and night happen at different times at different places on earth. In fact it's always day somewhere and night somewhere else. Number eight.
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