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The following statements are false but are perceived to be true by many people. Scientific hypotheses and theories are subject to revision on the basis of observations, improvements in technology, and continued scrutiny. Inevitably certain "truths" are reconsidered. This is how honest science works. Brief explanations follow each of the FALSE statements and web site links are provided for reinforcement and/or substantiation. For the few items in which there is controversy or clear disagreement, the scientific view is presented.

T. Ansel Toney
Professor of Earth Sciences (retired)
©1990; last revision May, 2007

In North America we are closer to the sun during summer than winter.
In early January we are 147,000,000 kilometers from the sun and in early July, 152,000,000 kilometers. This is considered a paradox but it doesn't seem strange in Samoa. Why? Perihelion = near point to the sun. Aphelion = far point from the sun.
During our summer season the sun is directly overhead at noon.
At 29.2º north of the Equator (where the approximate center of Ocala, Florida is located), the highest sun angle is at noon on the first day of summer at 84.3º above the southern horizon. The lowest noon sun angle at that location occurs on the first day of winter. It is 37.3º above the southern horizon.
  • The Northbound Sun - Read change of declination in the second paragraph and note all of the United States of America except for part of Hawaii is north of 23.5 degrees latitude.
  • Tropic of Cancer Read the first two paragraphs.
Since the same side of the moon faces earth all of the time, it must not rotate on an axis.
The moon rotates once on its axis each time that it revolves (orbits) around the earth; that is why the same side is always facing earth.
Our nearest star is proxima centauri.
No - it is the sun, a main sequence star about halfway through its life cycle. What is a main sequence star?
The moon orbits earth once a month and therefore 12 times per year.
Starting with the new moon, a 360 degree journey around earth takes a little over 27 days but it takes over 29 days to get back in position lined up with the sun (conjunction). Divide 365 by 27. Divide 365 by 29. Do you get a number greater than 12 in both instances? Try dividing by the mean, 28.
The earth is circular.
"Circle" is a two dimensional term. "Sphere" or "ball shaped" would be more accurate. Newton's term, "oblate ellipsoid", is most correct. The earth has what is called an equatorial bulge (27 miles "fatter" than it is "tall"). In other words - it has a middle-aged spread!
The north star is a very bright object in the sky.
Most people are surprised when they learn to identify Polaris. It is not as bright as they had expected. As one moves further south the star becomes harder to see because it appears closer to the horizon. The altitude (in degrees) of Polaris above the northern horizon is an expression of one's latitude. Charles Lindbergh used the star for that purpose. I have used it when lost in the woods. It is a time-honored navigational aid.
Geostationary satellites are satellites that do not move.
Geostationary satellites stay stationary over the same selected point of earth. But in order to do so they must be moving at the same rate and in the same direction as the point below, in other words, one complete rotation about the earth's axis per day. Imagine a point on the Equator. It moves about 25,000 miles (the earth's approximate circumference at the Equator) in 24 hours due to the earth's rotation. That is over 1000 miles per hour. A geostationary satellite will have to move even faster because of the larger circumference of its orbital path.