![\\"logo\\"](\\"/img/logo-dpa-factchecking.svg\\"/) *About ![\\"IFCN](\\"/img/ifcn-certificate.png\\"/) ![\\"EFCSN](\\"/img/efcsn- certificate.png\\"/) ## Incorrect calculations # The Earth, round, is located 150 million km from the Sun Published on 22.5.2023, 14:15 (CEST) There have always been many theories circulating about the fact that Earth would be flat. However, since Antiquity, it has been demonstrated to many times that our planet is indeed round. The surface of the Earth would be flat and the Sun would not be 150 millions of kilometers from our planet. In any case, this is what one says. post on Facebook. This is accompanied by a video showing various images of sun rays, sometimes taken below the clouds, and sometimes above. This compilation could suggest that the Sun does not would not be located as far from us as is presented by the figures official, and that its rays would not be parallel. But what about really ? ## Assessment These claims are false. The Earth, which is very round, revolves around the Sun at a distance of about 150 million kilometers. This state of things has been scientifically demonstrated on several occasions. The fact that the Sun rays sometimes do not appear parallel to each other is due to from the perspective of the observer on Earth. ## Facts The Sun is a large ball of hydrogen and helium that is held together by its own gravity. It’s thanks to this star, 4.5 billion years old years, that life on Earth is possible. Numerous observations and calculations carried out in particular by the Space Agency European Union (ESA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have proven that the Earth rotates not only around the Sun, but also that the latter is located at a distance average distance of 150 million kilometers from our planet. The Sun However, it remains the closest star to Earth. Twilight rays However, some people question this consensus. For them, if the Sun was really located that far away, its rays should be parallel to each other to others once they are visible from Earth. However, this is not really what is observed in the different images shown in the video posted on Facebook. But this can be explained by another scientific phenomenon known. In reality, twilight rays (aka rays of the sun) give the impression of coming from a single point in the sky. They form a diverging light line interspersed with dark areas. These zones correspond to the obstacles that the rays encounter on their paths such as clouds or even mountains. The bright areas, for their part, betray the reflection of sunlight on suspended particles (dust, aerosols, drops of water, etc.) in the atmosphere. When these rays twilights do not encounter any obstacle in their path, they are broadcast in all directions and we don't even notice them. Twilight rays are only visible once they have passed through the clouds. And, contrary to what it appears in the video, all these rays are indeed parallel. It is precisely because the Sun is so far away that we we have the impression that all its rays come from the same direction. This is what called the parallax effect. What we observe from Earth can change depending on where you are. At sunrise and sunset, the Sun is closest to the horizon. There Sunlight will therefore pass through many more atmospheric molecules. The sky will thus display different shades of color depending on the angle of the Sun relative to the Earth. This is what we call the Rayleigh scattering. This is when we will see the colors in the longest waves: red and orange. The Earth is round Theories have always circulated on the idea that the Earth is flat. But the roundness of it has been proven and demonstrated to many times. The dpa has already looked into the subject before (notably here, here or here). The fact that the horizon appears flat, no matter where you are on the Earth, actually depends on how tall a person is relative to it. The smaller the latter, the flatter the horizon appears. The only solution is therefore to gain a lot of height because this horizon line (which is not purely visual) depends on the height at which the eye of the person who observes. Gravity, the force by which a planet or body attracts objects towards its center, also allows us to demonstrate that the Earth is round. The mass gravitational force, located at the center of the Earth, ensures that we do not let's not fly away and keep our feet on Earth. Gravity is the same for all. “This phenomenon is only made possible by a spherical shape; a flat Earth would not correspond to an attraction towards the ground but on the sides in order to make all the masses converge towards the same center gravitational,” explains an article in National Geographic. Time zones also allow us to highlight the roundness of the Earth: if the Earth were not round, it would not rotate on its axis. It would therefore be impossible to explain the different exposures of the sun at the same times of day in different places around the world. The Earth is therefore very round. (Situation as of 05/22/2023) ## Links Facebook post (archived version, archived video) NASA about the Sun (archived version) ESA about the Sun (archived version) WMO about the Sun (archived version) Twilight rays (archived version) Parallax effect (archived version) Rayleigh broadcast (archived version) dpa fact checks I, II and III Gravity (archived version) National Geographic article (archived version) ### About dpa fact checks This fact check was written as part of the independent program of Facebook/Meta check. More information about this program can be found here. To learn more about how Facebook/Meta manages accounts that spread misinformation, click here. If you have any objections or comments, please send them to the address factcheck-belgium@dpa.com including a link to the publication Facebook concerned (see the model to use here). For more information on how to submit a correction or to dispute a review, please refer to this page. powered by dpa-newslab | Imprint | Privacy | About:
The Earth is flat and the Sun is not located 150 million km from our planet