Joel
"An?ÿoblate spheroid?ÿis a surface of revolution obtained by rotating an ellipse about its minor axis (Hilbert and Cohn-Vossen 1999, p. 10). To first approximation, the shape assumed by a rotating fluid (including the Earth, which is "fluid" over astronomical time scales) is an?ÿoblate spheroid."... hmm????
It took me a while to get it yesterday...Happy Oblate Spheroid Day to you, Joel!
Scotland you reference a book by Hilbert & Cohn-Vossen but did not give the title "Geometry and the Imagination"
It is interesting to note that this is a Translated book from German to English by P. Nemenyi
(Peter Bjorn Nemenyi)
The german uses the word Rotationsellipsoid ?ÿand its on page 9 of the german book; which has
the title of "Anschauliche Geometrie" and?ÿ oblate spheroid in the English translation and that's
on page 10 per your note above.
What is interesting (to me at least) are my notes about the translator. Peter Bjorn Nemenyi ?ÿfather was Paul
?ÿNemenyi who probably was the father of Robert "Bobby" Fisher, the 1972 world chess champion.
Small world indeed.
?ÿ
JOHN NOLTON
?ÿ
I object.?ÿ There are many oblate spheroids, but the day is dedicated to the single one most of us are walking on.?ÿ Its name is "Dirt" in whichever language you choose (earth, terra, or whatever), which doesn't show it a lot of respect.