![]() ![]() The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Mars and Earthrise images by NASA.Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. ![]() Can you think of other ways that show the Earth is round and not flat?Īdditional images via Wikimedia Commons. These are just a few testable ways we know that the Earth is round. This supports the idea that the Earth is a sphere. However, we know that the shadow the Earth casts on the moon during an eclipse has always been circular, regardless of time of day. T he rest of the time it would appear like an oval or circle as it’s spinning. Sometimes it would appear only as a line. If the Earth were flat but rotating, its shape would be different for eclipses at different times of the day or night. This would cause the shadow on the moon to be round, but the shape of the Earth to be flat. If you do this, you’ll see that there is a round shadow, not a flat one.Ī follow-up question might be whether the Earth could be flat and round, like a pancake. When this happens, you can actually see the Earth’s shadow if you look up at the moon. When that happens, the sun projects Earth’s shadow onto the moon. During a lunar eclipse, the Earth passes between the moon and the sun.For parts of the world that are closer together, the difference in time will be less. For example, the time in New York, United States is 12 hours different than the time in Beijing, China. As one part of the world is facing the sun, another on the opposite side of the Earth is not. This is also the reason that different parts of the world have different time zones. And so the timing of when it will lower in the sky and eventually disappear behind the horizon will change. The sun is in a different position in relation to different locations. This also explains why the sun sets at different times in different locations. This is because the Earth is round, and so the way the sun hits each location will be a bit different. If we were to place two identical sticks in the ground in two different places on Earth, we’d find that the length of their shadows differs. However, it turns out that this is not the case. This would mean that the sun is hitting all places on Earth at the same angle, resulting in the same shadow. If the Earth were flat, then shadows would be the same length, regardless of location. It turns out that we can use shadows as another piece of evidence that the Earth is round. You have probably seen that when the sun is out, it causes a shadow to form if it hits something.From there, you’ll be able to see the sun again for a brief time. When this happens, quickly go to your higher spot. On the ground, the sun will eventually disappear beyond the horizon. Or even start laying down and then stand up. Find a spot where you can see the sunset, and also have a place close by where you can safely move higher, such as a tree or building. One way to test this is to watch the sunset. Things in the distance are not visible because there is a curve to the landscape. And a ship will slowly start to disappear from view as it gets farther away. We can’t look out into the distance and see a town that’s miles away. However, if we look out when standing on the ground, we can’t see that far. The boat would stay in view no matter how far out to sea it went. We could see another city that’s hundreds of miles away. If the Earth was flat, we would be able to look out and see very far, assuming that there were no buildings in the way.It turns out that we can test many of these reasons out for ourselves, too. There are a number of reasons why scientists know that the Earth is round, and not flat. This is why some parts of the world have day and night at different times. As the Earth rotates, part of the Earth is facing the sun, and part of it faces away. It rotates around its own axis slowly but continuously, and completes this rotation about once every 24 hours. Like the other planets, the Earth is a sphere. ![]()
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