Once you accept the flatness things will be much less frustrating.
Since "you accept the flatness things", may you can explain how lunar eclipses occur. I submitted this material within another post on February 28, 2016, but had little response to the eclipse part of it, so maybe you can help.
For a start
we know that all lunar eclipses occur at the full moon, so the moon must be on the far side of the earth from the sun at the time. Now "the Wiki" gives the following explanation:
The Lunar Eclipse
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A Lunar Eclipse occurs about twice a year when a satellite of the sun passes between the sun and moon.
This satellite is called the Shadow Object. Its orbital plane is tilted at an angle of about 5°10' to the sun's orbital plane, making eclipses possible only when the three bodies (Sun, Object, and Moon) are aligned and when the moon is crossing the sun's orbital plane (at a point called the node). . . . . . . . A lunar eclipse can be seen from the entire half of the earth beneath the moon at that time. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The shadow object is never seen because it orbits close to the sun.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It is estimated that the Shadow Object is around five to ten miles in diameter. Since it is somewhat close to the sun the manifestation of its penumbra upon the moon appears as a magnified projection. This is similar to how during a shadow puppet show your hand's shadow can make a large magnified projection upon your bedroom wall as you move it closer to the flashlight.
The diagram below is how I interpret the geometry at the time of a full moon with a lunar eclipse. Note that the
distances are to scale, but the object sizes are
grossly exaggerated (though the sun, "shadow object" and the moon are
to scale with each other. The sun and moon are placed 180° apart on the equator.
With the "shadow object" so small, there is no way for it to cast any significant shadow on the moon. Just try tracing out the rays of light from the sun. Almost all simply bypass the "shadow object". The most we would get might be a slight reduction in illumination!
A couple of obvious questions arise:
- How does the observer directly under the moon see the moon as full?
- How does such a tiny object ("five to ten miles in diameter") cast any significant shadow when it is "somewhat close to the sun."
Would someone please explain how this works,
because I simply cannot understand how it can happen, whether "you accept the flatness things" or not!
If my interpretation of the geometry or light paths is incorrect, I would love to be informed!