The other side of the world
Feb 20th, 2006, 06:41 AM
#1
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The other side of the world
Just a little fun stuff to waste 5 minutes! This is an application built with Google maps - if you start digging, where will you end up?
http://map.pequenopolis.com/
I end up in the sea, off the south coast of New Zealand, so I better start digging now, as I plan to visit in October
http://map.pequenopolis.com/
I end up in the sea, off the south coast of New Zealand, so I better start digging now, as I plan to visit in October
Feb 20th, 2006, 07:45 AM
#3
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When I was a child, I used to dig in the yard with a spoon. We never had a decent lawn, so nobody cared. 
My mom told me that if I kept digging, I would end up in China. I very much wanted to go to China, so I thought digging my way to China would be fun. But now I know I would have ended up in the Indian Ocean. 
Glad I never tried my Big Dig. Whew!!
My mom told me that if I kept digging, I would end up in China. I very much wanted to go to China, so I thought digging my way to China would be fun. But now I know I would have ended up in the Indian Ocean. Glad I never tried my Big Dig. Whew!!
Feb 20th, 2006, 10:37 AM
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I don't think that's right. General answer:
The target latitude is the same as yours, with the opposite sign. MSP = 45N
The target longitude is yours subtracted from 180, but with opposite sign. MSP = 93W.
So your antipode is 45S 87E, which is about 2000 miles from (<u>any</u
land in the south Indian Ocean.
The target latitude is the same as yours, with the opposite sign. MSP = 45N
The target longitude is yours subtracted from 180, but with opposite sign. MSP = 93W.
So your antipode is 45S 87E, which is about 2000 miles from (<u>any</u
land in the south Indian Ocean.
Feb 20th, 2006, 10:42 AM
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At the tacky Lands End in SW England, you can pay to have your pictures taken under a pole, saying how far you're from your home.
When I was there last year, I saw a large percentage of visitors from "Aotearoa, 12,506mi".
Well, 12,506mi is about half the circumference of the earth. And "Aotearoa" is the Maori word for "New Zealand". I used that Google Earth link just now and found that the opposite side of Lands End is in the oceans off the NZ coast.
It's indeed a very long way between England and its old colony of New Zealand. Right now, AirNZ flies from Auckland to London via LA, but I think they're thinking about switching to Hong Kong, going the other way because of US immigration/customs troubles.
When I was there last year, I saw a large percentage of visitors from "Aotearoa, 12,506mi".
Well, 12,506mi is about half the circumference of the earth. And "Aotearoa" is the Maori word for "New Zealand". I used that Google Earth link just now and found that the opposite side of Lands End is in the oceans off the NZ coast.
It's indeed a very long way between England and its old colony of New Zealand. Right now, AirNZ flies from Auckland to London via LA, but I think they're thinking about switching to Hong Kong, going the other way because of US immigration/customs troubles.
Feb 20th, 2006, 11:07 AM
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Computer here can't handle Google Earth. But if Robespierre says MSP is 2,000 miles from any land, I guess Durham, NC, USA is also in the middle of the ocean.
Rough estimate for Durham is 36 latitude, 79 longitude (from the road atlas)
Rough estimate for Durham is 36 latitude, 79 longitude (from the road atlas)
Feb 20th, 2006, 11:14 AM
#14
<i>I don't think that's right.</i>
You're right - interesting - when I zoomed in on MSP and hit "dig here" the map shifted to a point between NZ and Antarctica. When I <i>didn't</i> zoom in on MSP it showed the point you referenced.
My mistake. No penguins. Or, maybe some seriously lost ones.
You're right - interesting - when I zoomed in on MSP and hit "dig here" the map shifted to a point between NZ and Antarctica. When I <i>didn't</i> zoom in on MSP it showed the point you referenced.
My mistake. No penguins. Or, maybe some seriously lost ones.
Feb 20th, 2006, 11:20 AM
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Actually, that little program in the original link is using Google Maps, not Google Earth.
Anyways, basically anybody in US and Canada who digs will end up flooding his hole with water of the Indian Ocean.
Anyways, basically anybody in US and Canada who digs will end up flooding his hole with water of the Indian Ocean.
Feb 20th, 2006, 01:32 PM
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<i>"anybody in US and Canada who digs will end up flooding his hole with water of the Indian Ocean"</i>
Just to be pedantic that's improbable. The water from the Indian Ocean would boil away due to the heat in the core, and any that didn't would be trapped in the middle by gravity. Of course the heat would also make digging all the way impossible, but that's a different story.
;-)
Just to be pedantic that's improbable. The water from the Indian Ocean would boil away due to the heat in the core, and any that didn't would be trapped in the middle by gravity. Of course the heat would also make digging all the way impossible, but that's a different story.
;-)
Feb 21st, 2006, 06:37 AM
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I have good news for everyone.
I have been to the North Pole (90 deg N, by Russian nuclear ice breaker) and have pictures of Santa there.
It may be a coincidence, but he looks just like the ones you see in the stores in the US.
I have been to the North Pole (90 deg N, by Russian nuclear ice breaker) and have pictures of Santa there.
It may be a coincidence, but he looks just like the ones you see in the stores in the US.
