How a Security Camera in a Garage Debunked Flat Earth Theories: The Eye-Opening Evidence You Need to See!

Every now and then, someone tries to prove that the Earth is flat. They often embark on wild journeys, believing they can reach the “edge” of the world, only to find out, once again, that the Earth is round. But did you know there’s an easy way to prove this without leaving your backyard?

In a recent time-lapse video shared on Reddit, a creative user showed how to capture evidence of Earth’s roundness. By marking the shadow of a garage corner at the same time each day for a year, they created a figure-eight pattern known as an analemma. This occurs because of the Earth’s tilt and its orbit around the Sun.

Analemmas are fascinating because they vividly illustrate how our planet moves. If the Earth were flat, the shadow’s tip would stay in one spot instead of tracing out a unique path. The tilt of the Earth, set at about 23.5 degrees, causes the Sun to appear higher or lower in our skies throughout the year. In summer, the Sun is at its peak, while in winter, it dips lower.

According to the Stanford Solar Center, “Analemmas viewed from different Earth latitudes have different shapes.” So, your location on Earth can change how this pattern looks.

Now, let’s dive a bit deeper. Scientists explain that the figure-eight shape is caused not just by the Earth’s tilt, but also by its elliptical orbit, which means it travels faster when closer to the Sun and slower when farther away. A study clarifies that while orbit eccentricity plays a role, the figure-eight pattern would still appear even if Earth’s orbit were circular.

Interestingly, the analemma also captures how local time (like UCT) differs from mean solar time as Earth moves around the Sun. This variation is tracked in something called the Equation of Time. Basically, solar noon—when the Sun is highest in the sky—changes throughout the year. If you took a photo of the Sun at noon every day, the differences would highlight the Earth’s tilt and orbit.

User reactions to this analemma proof on social media have been insightful. One Reddit user remarked, “This is simply one more piece of evidence that agrees with our models of the solar system.” However, they also noted the challenge of convincing flat-Earthers who often struggle to explain their own models.

Analemmas can look different depending on your location, making for a diverse and captivating study across the globe. They follow physical laws that any model of a round Earth can explain, while flat-Earth theories tend to falter under scrutiny.

Next time someone brings up flat Earth theories, you can confidently share how science explains the beautiful patterns we observe in our skies. For more detailed information on analemmas, check out this Stanford Solar Center resource.

Not only does this enrich our understanding of Earth’s movements and our place in the universe, but it also stirs curiosity and critical thinking. Isn’t it fascinating how something as simple as a shadow can lead to profound insights about our world?

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