The oblateness of the earth is about 1/298. The Wikipedia page on the figure of the earth is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure_of_the_Earth
Here's another page on the shape of the earth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_radius The WGS-84 ellipsoid gives the equitorial radius as 6378 km and the polar radius as 6357 km. > And at the Equator, would the Longitude circle be the biggest circle of > them > all, because there is a bulge at the Equator. A bulge because the mass is > forced out due the the Earth spinning? Anyone know the answer, I don't? > > I believe the moon also warps the Longitude circles because that is why > there is a high tide in two places on the Earth at the same time. The > moon's > gravity pulls the Earth mass and that also makes a high tide on the > opposite > side of the Earth away from the moon. The high tide on the moon side of > the > Earth is caused by the moon's gravity pull on the water. > > Looks to me that the Latitude/Longitude circles are all warping and > changing? > > Do I have this correct? > > Roderick Wall. > > -----Original Message----- > From: David Patte ⯠> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 12:08 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Is East/West always at exact 'right-angles', to North/South? > > True - correction accepted, except at the equator :) > > I wonder if the poles have infinitely small latitude 'circles' ;) > > > > On 2013-04-10 22:02, [email protected] wrote: >> While longitude lines are great circles, latitude >> lines are small circles. >> >> >>> David Patte wrote: >>> Yes, at the point of intersection they are, but don't forget though >>> that >>> lat and long are great circles, not straight lines. >>> >>> Of course, there is no east or west at the poles. >>> >>> --------------------------------------------------- >>> https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial >>> >>> >> >> --------------------------------------------------- >> https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial >> >> > > > -- > > > --------------------------------------------------- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2013.0.3272 / Virus Database: 3162/6237 - Release Date: 04/10/13 > > --------------------------------------------------- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > > --------------------------------------------------- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
