Why does the earth look like this?
 

The universe is 3-dimensional, expanding in all directions since the big bang. There is no up or down. So, why is the earth always depicted like this? I must be missing something here. Help, anyone?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200274583.jpg

Couldn't the earth just as easily look like this?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200274617.jpg

"North-centrism" Which hemisphere did the majority of modern civilizations and therefore maps develop in?

There is an answer to this question, I am not smart enough to know the answer, but there is an answer.

I'll take a stab at it though. When the astronaunts looked back at Earth from the Moon I know they saw the first Earth. I guess you would have to be standing upside down to see the other way around?

Steve's answer must explain something... Tom, what about ancient navigation maps that show basically the same thing we show today?

The earth is FLAT...these pictures were all taken in a photgraphy studio... if you go to the edge of the earth, instead of falling off you are just go to the reverse side...thus if you are in Australia you are down under...and hence the term "down under"

Fascinating... so it is only a convention.

Check this from Wiki:

The famous photo of Earth from Apollo 17 (Blue Marble) originally had the south pole at the top, as in this view, with the island of Madagascar visible just left of center, and the continent of Africa at its right. However, the image was turned upside-down to fit the traditional view.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200275784.jpg

NASA is run by a bunch of rabid hemispherists.

That 's the way it is depicted on the Bizzaro earth.

Because we walk upright, and have chosen to define "up" as where our heads are, relative to our feet.

And, we know that the earth rotates on an axis, one end of which is approximately below the North Star.

We have to turn our heads "up" to see the North Star.

Therefore it's logical that we would place a dot "up" at the top of a piece of paper to represent the North Star.

And we would draw a circle somewhat "down" from the dot to represent the Earth.

Also, I think most people visualize a spinning sphere (in this case the Earth) as they visualize a spinning coin or a spinning top, i.e., on an axis plumb to the center of the Earth

That's my hypothesis.

And I'm sticking to it.

In Europe, they look at the view of 'their bit'. Interesting question though- I had a geography professor who had a bunch of maps which were printed at different angles- kinda cool.

The first picture is just the way it looks if the north pole is north. The second picture is the way it looks if you were somewhere else and not north north at the time.

My boss has a map in his office from the Australian MOD. It has Australia in the center top position. It takes some time to orient oneself to that perspective.
Jim S.

Like this one:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200278917.jpg

This is how it should look. Middle Kingdom in the middle.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200279015.jpg

Are you talking about that big province of Taiwan (ROC)? ;)

Maybe because the early explorers were in what is now called the Northern Hemisphere, they made the maps and coined the terms we use. Why would they make themselfs at the bottom?

We took the pictures, so we get to say which way is up.

If the Aussies had gotten there first, it might be different. OR maybe they like living down there, even if they are always at risk of falling off.

That Australian orthoprojection map really shows the problem of taking one point of sight (view) and taking a globe and making it flat. It makes AU look as big as the US. It is big, but not that big it also makes Canada look smaller than the US, which it isn't

the Big "N" man, the Big "N"!!!

You'll find it on every survey or site plan.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200293510.gif

Because otherwise you Americans would fall off.

I'm feeling a bit light headed today. Hmmmm? :confused:

I've often wondered why the equator wasn't verticle :) http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200319521.jpg

This one is for the Neocons (it'll kill 'em being on the left):http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200319652.jpg

Isn't the earth a little wider at the Equator because of the centrifugal force of the spinning?

Regarding the "north-cerntric" view...Can't that be determined by relation to other planets and the sun? (Assuming those aren't upside down as well).

Regarding maps....I did some driving in Europe. All the maps have the "local names" for the cities...it was brilliant! :D

Not wider, taller :)

comparison of land area by country

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area

Why is a turd tapered at the end?

So your butthole doesn't slam shut.

this is the correct answer

The top picture is the correct orientation, for now. After december 21st 2012, the second picture will be right ;)

Because when you try to depict the solar system, you need a great distance between mercury and neptune and it is easier to depict it horizontally on a piece of paper than vertically from floor to ceiling.

This is a perfect example of reversal of cause & effect. Your truds are tapered because your butthole didn't slam shut. SmileWavy

Nah. The first instrument ever developed for determining geographic orientation was a simple compass. Do you imagine the little compass needle points north because of "North-centric" cultural bias or maybe racist cartographers?

Every map contains a compass rose with the map oriented in the direction the little magnetic needle first pointed.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1200333409.jpg

OK, so when I am going north in my suv, the little compass says N in the mirror, now I stop and start backing up, it still says N not S? Why? Is it because I have to poop?

Yes.

I do all my depicting outside, and the sky's the limit :)

Always assumed that it's because over 80% of the land mass on earth is North of the equator.

Wouldn't that make the earth automatically turn upside down so the land mass was to the south? Gravity, ya know.

My vote as well. Lines of magnetic field and all....