Dawn's guide to Astronomy

Earth

                      The Earth is the planet we live in, it is the only planet that supports the existence of plants and animals alongside Mars, it has one natural satellite, the moon, " Luna", which revolves round it eastward once in every twenty-seven days. It takes the Earth 365 days( a year) to complete its orbit. The distance between the sun and the Earth is 148,800,000km( 93,000.000 miles), while the distance between the Earth and the moon is 384,629km. It has a diameter of 12,762km and is the only planet not named after a Greek or Roman god or goddess.
The Earth is not completely flat . It is slightly flattened at the poles( North and south poles) to give a nearly spherical shape, the shape of the Earth is a " Geoid".
There have been many proofs,showing that the Earth is not flat but spherical, some of which are:
1. The Circumnavigation of the Earth: It was proven by Ferdinard Magellan and his crew between 1519 and 1522 that it is possible to go round the Earth by air, land and sea and return to the starting point. If the Earth was flat, one would come in contact with an abrupt edge and fall off.

2. Sunrise and sunset: As the Earth rotates from west to east, places in the east experience the sun earlier than places in the west. Also, places in the west see the sun later than places in the east. If the Earth was flat, the whole Earth would experience sunrise and sunset at the same time.

3. The circular horizon: A distant horizon, viewed from any point of the Earth is always circular, and the higher you go, the circular horizon seems to widen. This type of feature is seen only on a spherical body.

4. Ship's visibility: when a ship approaching a port is viewed, the top of the mast is seen first before the hull and later the rest of the ship's body. In the same way, if a ship leaves a Harbour, it disappears gradually. If the Earth is flat, the ship from a distant view would appear and disappear at once.

5. Planetary bodies: when the sun, moon and other planetary bodies are viewed from any angle, they are all circular in outline. So, the Earth can't be an exception.

6. Driving poles of equal length on the Earth: Three poles of equal length driven at the same depth on a leveled ground were found to have the Centre Pole projected slightly above the poles at either side because of the curvature of the Earth. If the Earth is flat, all the poles would be the same height.

7. The lunar eclipse: During the lunar eclipse, the earth casts a shadow on the moon. Only a sphere can do that.

8. Aerial photographs: pictures of the Earth, taken from high altitudes by rockets clearly show the curve edge of the Earth. This is the most recent proof of the spheroid that of the Earth.

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