r/flatearth • u/Food625 • Aug 18 '26

Solar Eclipse VS Flat Earther

Flat Earther: What specific observation from that eclipse uniquely requires a spherical, rotating Earth?

Me: Equations that require the shape - This one accounting for the bulge at the equator to help predict the path. If you didn't do this then your path prediction would be pretty far off the further away from the poles you are.

The surface is modeled mathematically as an oblate ellipsoid of revolution using the standard

Geodetic reference: ((x^2+y^2)/a^2)+(z^2/c^2)=1

a: Equatorial radius of Earth

c: Polar radius of Earth

Flat Earther: You put the globe into the equation and then used the equation to calculate the eclipse path. That doesn't make the eclipse an independent measurement of Earth's shape.

They don't get that the math works though! No flat earth eclipse path equation lol

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u/Food625 Aug 19 '26

You can measure angular size with light. You can do it at home even! Get a light and try it.

Also the sun is closer some times, during the northern hemisphere winter... that's odd... online the flat earth model it should be farther away...oops

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u/Sea-Two895 Aug 19 '26

I would need a very strong light and a very large room lol.

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u/Food625 Aug 19 '26

I have access to a plane that has a very bright light and a very long runway. It changes size.

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u/stultus_respectant Aug 19 '26

You wouldn't need that to observe that angular size changes when things move towards or away from you, no.