Flat Earth and Curvature Calculations
The truth and error behind the 8" per mile squared equation
Hello, fellow truth lovers.
I have been working on my very first Flat Earth video — and it has taken WAY longer than I anticipated. And to tell you the truth — I am so thankful.
My understanding of curvature calculations was not up to snuff — and I’ve been corrected thanks to a conversation with some new friends and FE Evangelists (which I now consider myself).
Check out the finished video here: How Elevations Work on a Globe.
Why Is This Important?
FE Evangelists (i.e., those who spread the truth about the Flat Earth) must be extremely careful with facts. Globe lovers will do everything to discredit our math and science. However, if we start with the correct calculations, we might be taken seriously by engineers and scientists.
If we present faulty math, the opposite is true. We will continue to be discredited and ignored.
I’ve been conversing with a highly educated engineer about the Flat Earth. Thankfully, I did not make the faulty assumption that the globe calculations I’ve been using were correct. Instead, I asked the engineer to confirm the equations based on his understanding of math and the globe.
When I asked him about 8” per mile squared, he responded like a deer in the headlights. He claimed he had never heard of that calculation (even though he is the voice for his organization when refuting Flat Earth).
After I challenged him, he developed a curvature equation and provided the supporting math. His equation was 16” per mile squared.
I was baffled.
So, I reached out to the FE Community for help.
What We Discovered
With some help from my friends, I discovered that 8” per mile squared is NOT the equation for the earth’s curvature. Instead, it is the equation for a parabola. Interestingly enough, the parabola equation follows the curvature of the globe (based on globe science) for about 1000 miles.
Therefore, 8” per mile squared is a good (and simple) formula for short-distance curvature calculations — but it is useless beyond 1000 miles.
Here’s a video that explains it well:
Precise Calculations at Any Distance
In my video project, I used the 8” per mile squared equation on distances beyond 1000 miles.
Nonetheless (and without my knowledge), the calculator I relied upon used an altogether different equation: h = r * (1 - cos a). It’s a more complicated equation, but it works over any distance.
And, the equation uses solid math.
How do I know?
I sent the calculator to the engineer so he could review the math. Not only did he verify the math behind the equation, but he had just come up with the identical equation himself.
If you are using the Earth Curvature Calculator, you can trust that a mathematician or engineer can verify that the results are accurate at any distance.
And sure enough, 8” per mile squared is nearly accurate to about 1000 miles before deviating from the globe equation.
Here’s a spreadsheet I put together to test it.
“Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Video Coming Soon
There’s still so much to learn about this realm that God has created. Despite the many hours I’ve spent researching the topic, I continue to learn something new.
The video I’m working on is an angle I haven’t yet seen addressed in the FE Community. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not out there. I’ve just not seen it.
I’m super excited to share my discoveries and receive some constructive feedback.
I hope to publish the video soon — after a few corrections.
Flat Out Hope readers will be among the first to view it.