The shape of Earth

[h311inac311]

Premis: We don't know what shape Earth actually is.

Persuade me, do you know the shape of this realm? 

Can you stretch the line across it an measure it for me?

Regardless of your position, any non-God fearing person should embrace the challenge of proving their knowledge of something as foundational as the ground we stand upon.

[Peebothuhlu]

Hello.

I think your innital premise is incorrect.

However.

Yes, I do believe I have a good idea of the shape of our celestial body plus that of the others in space around us.

As for 'Persuade you'?

What am I trying to persuade you of... and why?
How does your idea of the shape of the world affect your day to day life?
If it's fundamental to how you put your pants on, okay.
If not, why should my ideas worry/bother/be of interest to yourself?

Cheers.

Not at work.

[Orbit]

As we see from space, it is an oblate spheroid. Why do you ask?

[h311inac311]

As we see from space, it is an oblate spheroid. Why do you ask?

Really? who told you that?

Who is the observer and how high are they?

[The Grand Nudger]

There are thousands of satellites in orbit around the the earth, about 500 directly observing the earth as they transit, and another hundred used exclusively for gps.

I think we can close the book on this one.

[h311inac311]

Really? How do they stay up there?

Is this the only explanation for GPS technology? Or could it be that our phones rely on ground based towers?

How high are they?

[The Grand Nudger]

Pick up a book, you'll find answers to those questions. Right off the bat, one of the reasons they "stay up there" is because they're not running into any ridiculous pillars of creation on their trip round the relative underside of any given spot on earth. Yes, gps satellites are why the global positioning system works. The satellites are at all sorts of orbits, for better measurements and better coverage.

Why is this even a thing, let alone some important thing...for atheists.....in your estimation? I'm assuming you had some other point to make that you're just butchering with this nonsense about the shape of the earth. Am I wrong, is this it?

[Peebothuhlu]

1) Really? How do they stay up there?

2) Is this the only explanation for GPS technology? (2A) Or could it be that our phones rely on ground based towers?

3) How high are they?

1) They have enough speed/velovity such that the arc of their flight does not intersect the planet. Given their altitude, the slight air resistance will eventually slow them down enough that they will fall.

2) Yes.
2A) No. Tower triangulation can and is used to track phones (In my country and in specific situations) but with multiple services being available (I.E. the statelites being talked about) then potentially BOTH are used with the extra data points being used to give better measurments.

3) Quick Google search; "Between 160 Km to 2000 Km".

You're welcome.

Cheers.

Not at work.

[Angrboda]

Premis: We don't know what shape Earth actually is.

Persuade me, do you know the shape of this realm? 

Can you stretch the line across it an measure it for me?

Regardless of your position, any non-God fearing person should embrace the challenge of proving their knowledge of something as foundational as the ground we stand upon.

Knowledge is always incomplete and therefore provisional. You work it out from there.

[h311inac311]

Okay, so how high does an observer have to travel before they can clearly observe the shape of Earth?

Do you guys have footage?

Also, do you trust the government?