However, Aristotle was the first to suggest that because Egypt is further south, it would be looking at the star from a shallower angle if the world was a globe. Note the North Star's changing position To northern observers the Pole Star is higher in the sky – more proof of Earth’s non-flatness.Īt the time, it was well known that different constellations appeared in different places – for example, the North Star is closer to the horizon in Cairo than it is in Athens. If you’re near a port you can do the same with modern ships, though you’ll need to look for their upper decks, rather than sails. He noted that when a ship sailed beyond the horizon, the masts would remain visible after the hull had disappeared, as you would expect if it had sailed around a curved edge.

In 350 BCE, Aristotle added even more evidence. Observe ships on the horizon Way back in 350 BCE, Aristotle saw evidence for the curve in the disappearing hulls of ships as they sailed away. You can look out for its curve yourself during the next eclipse. The first written evidence that Earth was a globe comes from Empedocles and Anaxagoras in around 430 BCE, both of whom noticed Earth’s shadow appeared rounded during a lunar eclipse. Observe Earth's shadow during a lunar eclipse During an eclipse, Earth casts a circular shadow on the Moon, not an oval – something astronomers in the 5th century BCE knew suggested a spherical world Unfortunately, though there is much evidence of ancient India’s extremely advanced knowledge of astronomy, there is little surviving record of their methods.įor that, we must turn to the Greek ‘natural philosophers’. The Rigveda, first composed between 15 BCE, includes the verse 'In the midst of the Universe, the spherical Earth stays'. During a lunar eclipse, we can see Earth's shadow is round. The total lunar eclipse of 8 November 2022 captured by Soumyadeep Mukherjee, Kolkata, India.

Apollo moonlanding conspiracy theories debunked.

The first known reference to a round Earth is in ancient Indian religious texts.

It’s a common line to hear: '500 years ago, they thought that Earth was flat!' But it’s also completely untrue.Īstronomers have been able to prove our planet is a globe for well over 2,000 years, using methods you can recreate at home. 5 ways we can prove Earth is round, not flat

Earth is round or flat religion