Flat versus round earth calculator, asteroid is dead ringer for the Moon – Physics World

In case you were not convinced by our immensely popular article “Fighting flat-Earth theory” by Rachel Brazil, the physicist and round-Earther Steven Wooding has created an online calculator that suggests a few fun experiments that you can do to prove to yourself that the Earth is indeed a sphere. These include how to see a second sunset, how to hide an object behind the curvature of the Earth and how to use shadows to measure the radius of the Earth.

Elsewhere in the solar system, astronomers have discovered that an asteroid called (101429) 1998 VF31 bears a remarkable resemblance to the Moon. The chunk of rock is smaller than a kilometre across and trails behind Mars. A spectroscopy study done by researchers at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in Northern Ireland and colleagues found that the asteroid reflects light just like the Moon.

One possible explanation is that the asteroid is a chunk of the Moon that was liberated when a large asteroid crashed into the Moon. However, the researchers believe it is more likely that the asteroid was created in a similar collision with Mars.

Your questions about the asteroid are answered by The Guardian in “New moon? Scientists claim the Earth’s satellite may have a ‘dead ringer’”.

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