I know shadows in the ground prove how the Earth is positioned close the Sun and how the light reflects off the moon and something to do with the curvature of space and/or roundness of Earth but can someone give me a quick overview? Something to do with the roundness of Earth creates shadows.
Also, for the stupid Flat Earthers, I know flat land or flat surfaces don’t experience as many shadows or very rarely, but yeah can someone explain?
Thanks for helping the random thought.
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The ancients had to hire someone to pace out vast distances and report on their findings. This experiment is much easier today.
Purpose: Measure the length of shadows simultaneously cast by identical objects at different lattitudes to discern whether Earth’s surface is curved or flat.
Hypothesis: If Earth’s surface is flat, simultaneous shadows cast by objects of identical height separated by any distance will be identical. If Earth’s surface is curved, the difference in shadow length will correspond to the distance between objects and the degree of surface curvature.
Method: Find a friend who lives several hundred miles north or south of you, preferably at the same longitude as you. Both you and your friend acquire identical standup carboard cutouts of Danny Devito. Verify each cutout is identical in height. Stand up each cutout in direct sunlight. At precisely noon, each person measures the length between the base of the cutout and the furthest extent of the cast shadow. Any difference in length implies Earth’s surface curvature. Use spherical trigonometry to calculate from this difference the degree of curvature, and the diameter of a sphere with such curvature. Compare your calculated diameter to other estimations of Earth’s curvature. Celebtate yet another example science’s triumph over stupidity.
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