Flerfraction: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Atmospheric refraction - sunset and sunrise.png| | [[File:Atmospheric refraction - sunset and sunrise.png|thumb|Atmospheric refraction raises the apparent position of astronomical objects near the horizon, as well as causing a slight vertical compression]] | ||
'''Atmospheric Refraction''' is the bending of light within Earth's atmosphere due to variations in air density. <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_refraction </ref> | '''Atmospheric Refraction''' is the bending of light within [[Wikipedia:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]] due to variations in air density.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_refraction</ref> | ||
Flerfs generally have no clue how atmospheric refraction actually works, so they use it ('''flerfraction''') to explain phenomena which are | Flerfs generally have no clue how atmospheric refraction actually works, so they use it ('''flerfraction''') to explain phenomena which are impossible on a flat Earth, such as: | ||
*sunsets | *sunsets/rises and moonsets/rises | ||
*why stars can't be seen from particular locations (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Polaris|Polaris]] from the southern hemisphere) | *why stars can't be seen from particular locations (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Polaris|Polaris]] from the southern hemisphere) | ||
*why the horizon appears below eye level | *why objects beyond the horizon are obstructed | ||
*the existence of the south [[Wikipedia:Celestial pole|celestial pole]] | *why the [https://mctoon.net/horizon-does-not-rise-to-eye-level/ horizon appears below eye level] | ||
*the existence of the south [[Wikipedia:Celestial pole|celestial pole]] | |||
*why the sun and moon do not change in angular size | *why the sun and moon do not change in angular size | ||
*[[Star Trails|star trails]] always being perfectly circular | |||
Not all flerfs use flerfraction to explain the above phenomena; those who don't generally invoke [[Flerfspective|flerfspective]]. | Not all flerfs use flerfraction to explain the above phenomena; those who don't generally invoke [[Flerfspective|flerfspective]]. | ||
Flerfs often deny the presence of refraction when presenting observations of "missing curvature", while simultaneously using it to explain observations that are impossible on flat Earth. This is an example of the Third [[Laws of Flerf|Law of Flerf]]. | |||
== Atmospheric "Magnification" == | |||
[[File:Karen Nyberg water bubble.jpeg|thumb|A spherical water bubble causes astronaut [[Wikipedia:Karen Nyberg|Karen Nyberg]]'s face to appear upside-down]] | |||
Many flerfs claim the atmosphere can magnify things like a [[Wikipedia:Magnifying glass|magnifying glass]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tflhWwoqWAw&t=460s</ref> This is partly because they think the term "'''atmospheric lensing'''" (which generally means the same thing as '''atmospheric refraction''') literally means the atmosphere acts like a [[Wikipedia:Lens#Construction of simple lenses#Types of simple lenses|bioconvex lens]]. Flerfs use this to explain why objects can appear obstructed by the horizon. | |||
In reality, there is no mechanism by which the atmosphere can act this way. Because gravity causes air pressure (which is [[Ideal Gas Law|closely correlated to air density]]) to change as a function of height<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_pressure#mechanism</ref>, objects can only appear to be compressed (or stretched in [https://aty.sdsu.edu/mirages/mirsims/loom/loom.html#towering rare cases]) in the vertical direction. Some flerfs propose the mechanism for atmospheric "magnification" is water droplets in the air. While a singular water droplet can act like a lens, flerfs don't realise that a collection of many water droplets does not equal one big lens. There is also the issue that a round water droplet causes the refracted image to appear upside-down. | |||
== Walter Bislin's Flat Earth Dome Model == | == Walter Bislin's Flat Earth Dome Model == | ||
[[File:WalterBislin dome model absurd starlight bending.png|thumb|Walter Bislin's model showing the impossible paths light would have to take.]] | |||
Flerfs have [[Plagiarism of Walter Bislin's model|plagiarised Walter Bislin's Flat Earth Dome Model]], claiming it is a working model of flat Earth. In reality, the simulation shows how light would need to bend in impossible ways for flat Earth to make any sense. | Flerfs have [[Plagiarism of Walter Bislin's model|plagiarised Walter Bislin's Flat Earth Dome Model]], claiming it is a working model of flat Earth. In reality, the simulation shows how light would need to bend in impossible ways for flat Earth to make any sense. | ||
Flerfs that subscribe to this model believe the light bending is made possible due to '''flerfraction''' and/or some firmament-related magic. | Flerfs that subscribe to this model believe the light bending is made possible due to '''flerfraction''' and/or some firmament-related magic. | ||
== Useful Resources == | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
! Resource !! Author !! Notes | |||
|- | |||
| [https://stellarium.org/ Stellarium] ||See [https://stellarium.org/ ''developers''] ||Astronomy software which factors in standard atmospheric refraction when calculating the apparent position of astronomical objects. | |||
|- | |||
| [https://walter.bislins.ch/bloge/index.asp?page=Simulation+of+Atmospheric+Refraction Simulation of Atmospheric Refraction] || Walter Bislin || Comprehensive calculator for terrestrial refraction. Shows a visual comparison between globe Earth and flat Earth predictions. | |||
|- | |||
| [https://walter.bislins.ch/bloge/index.asp?page=Advanced+Earth+Curvature+Calculator Advanced Earth Curvature Calculator] || Walter Bislin || Comprehensive calculator for earth curvature, with the option to factor in atmospheric refraction. | |||
|- | |||
| [https://www.metabunk.org/refraction/ Metabunk Refraction Simulator] || [[Wikipedia:Mick West|Mick West]] || See how temperature profile affects refraction in the atmosphere. | |||
|} | |||
== references == | == references == | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
Latest revision as of 00:35, 27 April 2026
Atmospheric Refraction is the bending of light within Earth's atmosphere due to variations in air density.[1] Flerfs generally have no clue how atmospheric refraction actually works, so they use it (flerfraction) to explain phenomena which are impossible on a flat Earth, such as:
- sunsets/rises and moonsets/rises
- why stars can't be seen from particular locations (e.g. Polaris from the southern hemisphere)
- why objects beyond the horizon are obstructed
- why the horizon appears below eye level
- the existence of the south celestial pole
- why the sun and moon do not change in angular size
- star trails always being perfectly circular
Not all flerfs use flerfraction to explain the above phenomena; those who don't generally invoke flerfspective.
Flerfs often deny the presence of refraction when presenting observations of "missing curvature", while simultaneously using it to explain observations that are impossible on flat Earth. This is an example of the Third Law of Flerf.
Atmospheric "Magnification"
Many flerfs claim the atmosphere can magnify things like a magnifying glass.[2] This is partly because they think the term "atmospheric lensing" (which generally means the same thing as atmospheric refraction) literally means the atmosphere acts like a bioconvex lens. Flerfs use this to explain why objects can appear obstructed by the horizon.
In reality, there is no mechanism by which the atmosphere can act this way. Because gravity causes air pressure (which is closely correlated to air density) to change as a function of height[3], objects can only appear to be compressed (or stretched in rare cases) in the vertical direction. Some flerfs propose the mechanism for atmospheric "magnification" is water droplets in the air. While a singular water droplet can act like a lens, flerfs don't realise that a collection of many water droplets does not equal one big lens. There is also the issue that a round water droplet causes the refracted image to appear upside-down.
Walter Bislin's Flat Earth Dome Model
Flerfs have plagiarised Walter Bislin's Flat Earth Dome Model, claiming it is a working model of flat Earth. In reality, the simulation shows how light would need to bend in impossible ways for flat Earth to make any sense. Flerfs that subscribe to this model believe the light bending is made possible due to flerfraction and/or some firmament-related magic.
Useful Resources
| Resource | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stellarium | See developers | Astronomy software which factors in standard atmospheric refraction when calculating the apparent position of astronomical objects. |
| Simulation of Atmospheric Refraction | Walter Bislin | Comprehensive calculator for terrestrial refraction. Shows a visual comparison between globe Earth and flat Earth predictions. |
| Advanced Earth Curvature Calculator | Walter Bislin | Comprehensive calculator for earth curvature, with the option to factor in atmospheric refraction. |
| Metabunk Refraction Simulator | Mick West | See how temperature profile affects refraction in the atmosphere. |