Shape of the Earth

We have direct evidence of this from pictures that astronauts and satellites have taken from space.

However, if you want proof of this that does not rely on going into space to see the entire earth. Here are some arguments.

  1. Using telescopes, all planets are stars are circular. Earth is no different.
  2. A sphere is the only stable shape that gravity would let massive objects form.
  3. During a lunar eclipse, we can see that the earth makes a circular shadow on the moon, regardless of the time of the night or the season of the year. The only object that casts a circular shadow regardless of the direction of the light source is a sphere.
  4. If you walk away from the north pole, turn 90 degrees, walk the same distance, turn 90 degrees in the same direction of rotation, and then keep walking, you will end up back where you started. This is only possible on a sphere.
  5. Polaris (the North star) is directly above the North pole. It is not visible from the Southern hemisphere. This is not direct evidence that the earth is a Sphere. But it is evidence that the earth is not flat.
  6. As you watch ships sail away from the shoreline, the bottom of the ship disappears before the top of the ship. Similarly, if you sail away from a large building on land, you will still be able to see the top of the building when the bottom of the building is out of sight.

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