Flat Earth believers' perspective on equinox: A deep dive into their explanations.
Revised Article:
Spring is on the horizon! On Monday (March 20), the sun will grace the Earth's equator, signaling the onset of spring in the northern hemisphere. The equinox, where day and night will be almost equal worldwide, might confuse a few flat-earth enthusiasts out there. But fear not, we've gathered some intriguing flat-earth theories to help make sense of these astronomical phenomena.
Flat-earthers, that vocal online community harboring a belief in our planet being, well, flat, often grapple with explaining shifts in seasons, sunrises, and sunsets, among other things. How can these wonders be explained without axial tilt and the movement of a spherical Earth? And if the North Pole sits at the center of our planetary disc, can we really trust compass directions?
Flat-Earth Dilemmas:
Flat-earthers generally introduce reimagined versions of the solar system and sun to fit their beliefs. For instance, they propose the sun as a tiny spotlight floating just above the Earth, hardly the fiery ball of gas you might imagine. To account for equal day and night lengths during equinoxes, flat-earthers suggest the sun follows a circular path around the equator, approaching and retreating from the North Pole to create the seasons.
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The diameter of the sun and its distance from the Earth in flat-earth theory vary depending on who you ask. Early flat-earther Samuel Birley Rowbotham (great name, right?) proposed the sun was just 32 miles in diameter and hovered anywhere from 400 to 700 miles above the Earth. Modern flat-earthers generally place the sun at roughly 3,000 miles above the Earth, although Rowbotham's ideas remain popular among the community.
Can science teach us nothing about the universe?
Some flat-earthers may argue that empirical evidence is overrated when it comes to understanding the cosmos. Take, for example, their insistence that the heliocentric model of the solar system is irrelevant in our flat-world discussion. No matter how far-fetched, flat-earth theorists continue to ponder and question the mysteries of our planet.
It's interesting to explore alternative perspectives on the universe, but it's equally important to appreciate evidence-based scientific knowledge. So whether you think the Earth is round or flat, we hope this year's equinox instills a renewed sense of awe for our incredible world.
Originally published in 2018; updated on March 20, 2023.
Flat-earthers debate various explanations for changing seasons, sunrises/sunsets, and compass directions in a flat Earth model. While their arguments often lack supporting evidence and contradict scientific consensus, here's an overview:
Changing Seasons
Flat-earthers generally attribute changes in seasons to the Sun's movement above the Earth. They propose that the Sun circles the flat Earth, varying its distance from different regions to create temperature fluctuations and daylight changes. Typically, when the Sun is closer to the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer there, while it becomes summer in the Southern Hemisphere when the Sun moves closer to that region.
Sunrises and Sunsets
Flat-earthers often argue that sunrises and sunsets occur due to the Sun moving across the sky along a circular path above the flat Earth. They claim that as the Sun moves away from the observer's location, it appears to set below the horizon because the Sun is moving away from the observer's viewpoint, rather than due to Earth's curvature. In their opinion, the inability to see the Sun beyond the horizon is due to the Sun simply being at a distance that makes it seem below the horizon.
Compass Directions
Flat-earthers struggle to explain compass directions consistently within a flat Earth model without axial tilt. Typically, they might suggest magnetic fields or other forces could influence compass readings, but these explanations often contradict established scientific principles. In science, compasses work because of the Earth's magnetic field, which originates from the movement of molten iron in the Earth's core. This field generates a symmetrical distribution around the Earth's axis, so compasses consistently point towards the magnetic poles.
In the realm of flat-earth theories, medical-conditions and technology are surprisingly relevant. For medical-conditions, flat-earthers grapple with explaining the effects of temperature fluctuations and daylight changes on human health without understanding the science behind axial tilt and spherical Earth movement. As for technology, their proposed explanations for sunrises, sunsets, and compass directions lean on reimagined concepts of solar systems, the sun, and Earth's magnetic fields that would require significant technological advancements beyond our current understanding.
