Antarctica's 24-hour sun doesn't prove a flat Earth
The Antarctic midnight sun is used by flat-earthers as proof of a flat Earth. Scientific data explain it without any conspiracy. An analysis of the debate.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Antarctica's 24-hour sun and the flat Earth: the mistake that won't go away
Is the midnight sun the definitive proof that we live on a disk? Part of the flat-Earth movement says it is. The argument: if the Earth were a globe, the sun couldn't circle endlessly for whole days at the poles. In reality, the 23.5-degree axial tilt perfectly explains why, in summer, the sun doesn't set within the Antarctic polar circle. No electromagnetic dome or painted disks in the sky needed.
Enrique's video and the solar analemma
A video by Enrique, known as the "empirical Mickey Mouse," has gone viral in the debate, claiming the phenomenon only fits the flat model. His critics point out that he misunderstands the solar analemma, the figure the sun traces in the sky over the course of a year. The Barea brothers, who offer a more technical explanation, have also been mentioned. The scientific community has been using this data for decades to confirm the Earth's curvature, not to refute it.
The moon and other thorns in the side
Defenders of the spherical Earth have pointed out another problem: from Earth we see 59% of the lunar surface, something incompatible with a flat moon that always showed the same face. Moreover, tourist trips to the stratosphere for $50,000, such as those by Virgin Galactic, allow the curvature to be observed directly. But for those who believe NASA lies, no photo is ever enough.
Flat-Earthism finds on the internet a breeding ground where every apparent anomaly becomes a conspiracy. That a phenomenon perfectly explained by basic astronomy is used as proof of the disk is, at the very least, ironic: the 24-hour sun hasn't sunk the spherical model, but it has revealed how far distrust of the official narrative can go.
Most shared
Related debates in the forum
Is the midnight sun the definitive proof that we live on a disk? Part of the flat-Earth movement says it is. The argument: if the Earth were a globe, the sun couldn't circle endlessly for whole days at the poles. In reality, the 23.5-degree axial tilt perfectly explains why, in summer, the sun doesn't set within the Antarctic polar circle. No electromagnetic dome or painted disks in the sky needed.
Enrique's video and the solar analemma
A video by Enrique, known as the "empirical Mickey Mouse," has gone viral in the debate, claiming the phenomenon only fits the flat model. His critics point out that he misunderstands the solar analemma, the figure the sun traces in the sky over the course of a year. The Barea brothers, who offer a more technical explanation, have also been mentioned. The scientific community has been using this data for decades to confirm the Earth's curvature, not to refute it.
The moon and other thorns in the side
Defenders of the spherical Earth have pointed out another problem: from Earth we see 59% of the lunar surface, something incompatible with a flat moon that always showed the same face. Moreover, tourist trips to the stratosphere for $50,000, such as those by Virgin Galactic, allow the curvature to be observed directly. But for those who believe NASA lies, no photo is ever enough.
Flat-Earthism finds on the internet a breeding ground where every apparent anomaly becomes a conspiracy. That a phenomenon perfectly explained by basic astronomy is used as proof of the disk is, at the very least, ironic: the 24-hour sun hasn't sunk the spherical model, but it has revealed how far distrust of the official narrative can go.
Most shared
Related debates in the forum
- It has been proven that the Earth is hollow, like flat-earthers' common sense · 1118 replies
- ⚠️ NASA activates the Planetary Defense Network to track #3IATLAS · 275 replies
- Official thread on the EXTRATERRESTRIAL INVASION - 3I/ATLAS · 353 replies
- Do you really believe in the "Solar System"? · 719 replies
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (60 replies).
More summaries
-
72-hour ultimatum to Sánchez remains unfulfilled after 487 days
The 72-hour ultimatum to Sánchez was ignored and the deadline renewed itself. The timeline of failed predictions of his downfall goes back to 2014.
-
Vicente Fuentes: from a million views to 10,000 and a month without posting
From 700,000 subscribers to 10,000 views and a month without posting: the economic and personal ruin of YouTuber Vicente Fuentes.
-
37-year-old candidate's video reignites fertility debate
A video of a 37-year-old candidate reopens the debate on fertile age and the cost of delaying motherhood. The discussion splits between biology and…
-
Zapatero's defense questions the origin of evidence in Spain's Plus Ultra case
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's defense in the Plus Ultra case argues the evidence has an illegitimate origin from a US agency, while courts upheld the legality of the loans.
-
Fears of a mass exodus of French people to Spain
A forum user argues that the crisis in France will push workers towards Spain, fuelling the housing debate; rents in Valencia average around €1,776
-
Sánchez appears legless in official Moncloa photo
Moncloa releases a photo of Sánchez at La Mareta with no legs visible. Retouching or camera angle? A look at the government's latest institutional blunder.