Circumference at different lattitudes

Sorry if this is a silly question. I am a flat-earth noob.

From the model in the FAQ it appears that flatearthers believe the earth to have a flat circular shape with the antarctic ice around its circumference. How does this account for the decreasing distance to circumnavigate the earth along lines of longitude as your latitude drops below the equator.

To eliminate debate about the lat/lon coordinate system, I will limit my use of it to just the equator, which seems to be included in both flat and round earth models. Secondly, I assume that the equator in both models mark the same path on the surface of the earth in relation to surface landmarks. That is, I assume that everyone agrees on where the "equator" lies as far as which countries/cities/etc. that it passes through.

OK. Here goes....

If I take off in a plane at the equator and fly due east, lets say using a compass for navigation, and I fly until I end up where I started, round-earthers believe I've flown around a sphere and flat-earthers believe that the earth's magnetic field has tricked me into slowly turning and eventually arriving back where I started. In any case, I can measure the distance traveled, either by measuring time and velocity or by some more direct means (camera looking at the ground etc.)

If I then travel further south and repeat the experiment then we will have a discrepancy between the models, for the flat-earth model predicts my flight distance will be longer, but the round-earth model predicts a shorter flight. Again I will use a point of reference that both models include, namely the continent of Antarctica.

If I take off in my plane close enough to Antarctica to see the ice sheet and I again travel due East, according to both models I should continue to see the ice sheet to my right until I arrive back where I started. However, the flat-earth model predicts this will require traveling nearly twice the distance that I traveled at the equator while the round-earth model predicts a significantly less distance traveled then at the equator.

I understand that aircraft does not frequently cross over the continent of Antarctica, but enough vessels should travel at southerly lattitudes for a significant enough distance "around" the Earth to be able to easily verify the geometry of the Earth. The discrepancy in distance between the southern tip of south america and the southern tip of africa between the models should be telling enough.......

Am I making any sense?

You are correct, but what real data do you have for us demonstrating that the lines of latitude shrink rather than expand as you pass the equator?

You are correct, but what real data do you have for us demonstrating that the lines of latitude shrink rather than expand as you pass the equator?

Tom, what real data do you have that lines of latitude continue to expand after you pass the equator?  Oh, that's right, the earth is flat.  Never mind.   

Tom, what real data do you have that lines of latitude continue to expand after you pass the equator?  Oh, that's right, the earth is flat.  Never mind.   

If you guys don't have any data, testimonials, or first hand accounts for us how can we know whether the Round Earth model stands up to scrutiny? 

Tom is exactly correct.

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Tom, what real data do you have that lines of latitude continue to expand after you pass the equator?  Oh, that's right, the earth is flat.  Never mind.   

If you guys don't have any data, testimonials, or first hand accounts for us how can we know whether the Round Earth model stands up to scrutiny? 

How about first hand accounts from astronauts that have been to the moon or the ISS? 

Like this astronaut?

Like this astronaut?

Did you notice the parts where Dr. O'Leary is refuting the conspiracy allegations?

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_Musgrave

On a trip to Florida a few years back, I had a chance to see him at a "meet the astronaut" type function at the Kennedy Space Center.  He seems like a really nice guy.  He had an interesting story about what he did on Halloween while in orbit during one if his missions.

Read the FAQ.

Read the FAQ.

Read our own post:

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Is personal eye witness evidence 100% reliable?

Testimonials and eye witness accounts are admissible in the court of law. I don't see why testimonials and eye witness accounts would be inadmissible here.

Sound familiar?  Why would you not believe the testimony of an astronaut who has been to space?

Why would you not believe the testimony of an astronaut who has been to space?

Because he hasn't. See the FAQ.

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Why would you not believe the testimony of an astronaut who has been to space?

Because he hasn't. See the FAQ.

LOL

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Why would you not believe the testimony of an astronaut who has been to space?

Because he hasn't. See the FAQ.

I've seen the FAQ.  It's wrong.

Quote from: Tom Bishop on May 21, 2008, 07:16:32 PM

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Why would you not believe the testimony of an astronaut who has been to space?

Because he hasn't. See the FAQ.

I've seen the FAQ.  It's wrong.

I...I don't understand...are those even words?

Quote from: markjo on May 21, 2008, 07:29:59 PM

Quote from: Tom Bishop on May 21, 2008, 07:16:32 PM

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Why would you not believe the testimony of an astronaut who has been to space?

Because he hasn't. See the FAQ.

I've seen the FAQ.  It's wrong.

I...I don't understand...are those even words?

Yes.  It's called heresy against the FAQ.

Someone would have flown around Antarctica at some stage, we just need to find the data. What has just been posted is a sure fire way to test without doubt if the earth is flat or a globe. I think one of you FEers with too much time on your hands should conduct this experiment and then either admit your wrong and shut down this site, or show your results to the world and enlighten all the misled RE believers. Isnt this like your dream come true a chance to show the world that the earth is flat?

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Tom, what real data do you have that lines of latitude continue to expand after you pass the equator?  Oh, that's right, the earth is flat.  Never mind.   

If you guys don't have any data, testimonials, or first hand accounts for us how can we know whether the Round Earth model stands up to scrutiny? 

The same can be said for the reverse.

Answer me anytime guys......

A flight around the equator would take longer than a flight around 45ºN. That's proof. Ask a pilot. This thread literally drove your FE's theories into the ground, but you are to stubborn and ignorant to realize it.

Yeah hence why its being utterly ignored. This is the best way to test FE or RE that i have seen so far. So obviously the FEers are to scared to investigate it further.

Go on tom. Start a fund raiser, get enough money to sponsor you or one of your fellow FE enthusiasts to fly around the tropic of Capricorn and time your flight, record your speed. Grab a distance, then go tell the world your results or hide in shame.

hahah, I think I will help out with the fundraising. I want to be part of History in the making!

Hey Tom, I'll bake cookies!!!!

Yeah i will donate some $$$.

I couldnt find the circumference of the tropics antarctic/arctic circles anywhere. But this was the closest i found. I think he just works it out assuming a round earth but im not sure.

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2005/bobware719.htm

Well anyone who has travelled around Europe and around Australasia would know. In reality, it takes about the same amount of time to travel across Europe as it does to travel from NZ to Australia. (Similar distance, similar latitude).

But on a flat earth, where the southern hemisphere is all huge and distorted, NZ to Australia would take heaps longer.  And anyone who has flown in NZ knows its not that crazy flat earth shape anyway, coz you can see from one side to the other from the plane..

So I get the "why can't you show us real data" response.

You're saying this because it's obvious I haven't done this experiment myself, therefore how can I have real data. Even if I DO have real data then it could be wrong or falsified as part of a conspiracy so it would be discounted. Let me try this again....

I should make it clear that even though the hypothetical airplane flights in my first post went all the way around the Earth arriving at the start, this is not necessary to get enough data to show the Earth's geometry. There just needs to be enough data to show that arc length (whether on a sphere or disc) between two lines of longitude (I noticed these lines are also on the FE model) decreases rather than increases as lattitude moves south of the equator.

The point is that flights capable of determining the gemoetry of the Earth in this way are so commonplace and so easy to perform with even amateur aviation technology that a conspiracy cannot suppress data. An amateur pilot can fly across the Congo, then fly across South Africa and do this. Even more importantly, if the Earth were flat, then every amateur pilot south of the equator would see discrepancies in his/her flight distance if they calculated a longitudinal flight plan assuming a spherical Earth.

Not only that, but engineers using GPS and a spherical earh model would grossly miscalculate railroads, roads, water/gas pipes. Any one of you is a civil engineer or knows a civil engineer in the southern hemisphere? They (or you) must be in on the conspiracy. Heck, even an engineer in the Northern hemisphere, since discrepancies would occur there too (just not as bad).

It can also be mathematically proven that no such coordinate system exists that can fool these engineers into thinking a flat disc is a ball without being inconsistent with itself. An Earth-bound GPS system on a flat Earth could produce lat/lon coordinates consistent with a spherical Earth, but distance measurements cannot be faked. Either the world is round or I am the only Engineer not in on the secret.

I know a southern hemisphere engineer. He hasn't mentioned the world being flat to me..

And our roads and pipes work just fine down here, based on the round earth model.

Go on tom. Start a fund raiser, get enough money to sponsor you or one of your fellow FE enthusiasts to fly around the tropic of Capricorn and time your flight, record your speed. Grab a distance, then go tell the world your results or hide in shame.

Looks like they'd just look at the data and then ask for proof of its authenticity. All that hard work would be in vain.

OH!  More facepunch escapees!

Where's my shotgun? Smile, you son of a bitch! No, wait, that's Jaws...
Oh, you are humming my balls!