The Earth As An Ellipsoid
Comment: early literature uses the term oblate spheroid to describe a sphere "squashed at the poles". Modern literature uses the term "ellipsoid of revolution" although the qualifying words "of revolution" are usually dropped. An ellipsoid which is not an ellipsoid of revolution is called a tri-axial ellipsoid. Spheroid and ellipsoid are used interchangeably in this article.
Read more about this topic: Meridian Arc
Famous quotes containing the word earth:
“He touched the soil, caressing its grains between his fingers: “I am this: this earth here, and I have it in my blood. Look at my color; it seems as though the earth faded onto me and onto you too. This country belongs to the black man and each time others tried to take it away from us, we mowed down injustice with our machetes”.”
—Jacques Roumain (1907–1945)