Lake Minnewanka curve experiment

{{Astronomy}}
Dan Olson's '''Minnewanka curve experiment''' from Sept. 20, 2020, is one of the most well-documented experiments to demonstrate [[Earth]]'s curvature in bodies of water in recent history.

== The experiment ==

Olson documented everything. Starting with the camera, according to Olson,<ref>Olson, Dan (Sept. 19, 2020). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8MboQzXO1o&t=47s "Specs of Olson's camera"] Via [[YouTube]].</ref> its specs were

* Blackmagic Pocket 4K
* 2.6k 16mm sensor crop mode (2688x1512px)
* FoV sensor area of 12.5mmx7mm
* 120 fps framerate
* 180° shutter speed
* 4ms exposure interval

The horizontal FoV was 2.48°.<ref>Olson, Dan (Sept. 19, 2020). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8MboQzXO1o&t=150s "Diagonal FoV of Olson's camera"] Via [[YouTube]].</ref>

The camera would be attached to a {{wpl|Jib_(camera)|jib}} with linear height adjustment range 0.1m to 1.5m.

Olson also documented the data needed to make evaluating his testing methods possible, and to make his experiment reproducible:

* Olson recorded the video from Lake Minnewanka, [https://earth.google.com/web/search/51%c2%b014%2732.29N+115%c2%b029%2737.18W/@51.24244614,-115.49375055,1520.04933585a,25.00299755d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CmAaNhIwGVfdNMcDn0lAIazzuSSY31zAKhw1McKwMTQnMzIuMjlOIDExNcKwMjknMzcuMThXGAIgASImCiQJVCxIS66fSUARBboEE2yeSUAZMfeZ0JTeXMAhSYznRZrgXMA6AwoBMA 51°14'32.29N 115°29'37.18W] to be precise.

* The camera was then pointed at the opposing shore's treeline at [https://earth.google.com/web/search/51%c2%b016%2744.91N++115%c2%b024%2742.35W/@51.27914772,-115.41184327,1520.22995608a,57.56444783d,35y,360h,0t,0r/data=CmEaNxIxGZQ5TOq6o0lAIRkL-VZa2lzAKh01McKwMTYnNDQuOTFOICAxMTXCsDI0JzQyLjM1VxgCIAEiJgokCX5bx4DAn0lAEdF7ez5InklAGQ7WiPpp3lzAISRcBDrG4FzAOgMKATA 51°16'44.91N  115°24'42.35W].

* The distance between the camera and its target was 7.04km.<ref>Olson, Dan (Sept. 11, 2020). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTfhYyTuT44&t=6m36s "Filming location map"]. Via youtube.com</ref>

Olson then performed the calculations.

Using [https://earthcurvature.com/ Earth Curvature Calculator], he determined that the curvature over that distance is 

<math>
\begin{alignat}{4}
r &\approx 6371 \text{ km} \\
s &= 7.04 \text{ km} \\
a &= \frac{s}{r} \approx \frac{7.04}{6371} \approx 0.001104 \text{ radians} \\
h &= r \cdot (1 - \cos a) \\
  &= 6371 \cdot (1 - \cos(0.001104)) \\
\cos(0.001104) &\approx 0.99999939 \\
h &\approx 6371 \cdot (1 - 0.99999939) \\
  &\approx 6371 \cdot 0.00000061 \\
  &\approx 0.00388 \text{ km} \\
  &\approx 3.88 \text{ meters}
\end{alignat}
</math>

[[File:Olson calculations.jpg|thumb|right|Screenshot from Olson's experiment video shows the trigonometric calculations he performed, and the prediction he made. The [[reality]] would have to match it for the model to be valid.]]

He then performed trigonometric calculations and made, as proper science expects, a prediction based on an independent variable:<ref>Olson, Dan (Sept. 19, 2020). [https://youtu.be/y8MboQzXO1o?si=GWPpUgWQAFrA6z_p&t=169]. Via [[YouTube]].</ref>
* From the 1.5m height, the target would show all but 0.54 meters of the shoreline.
* From the 0.1m height, the target would show all but 2.7 meters of the shoreline.

Essentially, as the camera would be lowered from 1.5 meters to 0.1 meters (the independent variable), '''2.7-0.54 = 2.16''' meters of shoreline would disappear behind the curve.

'''Which it, without any question, did:'''
{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTfhYyTuT44|||||start=611}}

The values above also work with [http://walter.bislins.ch/bloge/index.asp?page=Advanced+Earth+Curvature+Calculator&state=--21.5-16500-87040-9-32.16-5~0.0343-9-9-11-1 Walter Bislin's Advanced Earth Curvature Calculator], where dragging the observer height slider (in blue) all the way to left (to 0.1m), makes a 2.16m tall target object disappear behind the curve.

==The bitching and whining from flat-earthers==

After performing the experiment Dan Olson showed the results to a flat-earther community group he was in. Predictably, they complained about factors that Olson had already taken into account (waves, boat size, refraction, etc.) and after all of that, they [https://youtu.be/JTfhYyTuT44?si=ESc0jGTHNl_HSj8S&t=2057 told him]:

{{cquote|Well. You must have done it wrong. You did something wrong. '''''[[Pray]] about it and do it again!'''''||| Dan Olson's ''In Search Of A Flat Earth'' from (34:17) to (34:26)}}

Yep... No kidding... They actually asked him to PRAY for the curvature to go away!

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Anti-intellectualism]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]
[[Category:Denialism]]
[[Category:Silly "Earth" theories]]
[[Category:Flat Earth]]
[[Category:Fundamentalism]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Pseudoastronomy]]
[[Category:QAnon]]
[[Category:Unified conspiracy theory]]

Categories: Anti-intellectualism, Conspiracy theories, Denialism, Silly "Earth" theories, Flat Earth, Fundamentalism, Pseudoscience, Pseudoastronomy, QAnon, Unified conspiracy theory