Question
Here is the question : WHERE ON EARTH IS THE CLOSEST POINT TO THE MOON?
Option
Here is the option for the question :
- K2
- Mt. Chimborazo
- Mt. Everest
- Nanga Parbat
The Answer:
And, the answer for the the question is :
Explanation:
Mount Everest is the tallest peak in the world measured in terms of altitude, while Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is the point on Earth that is closest to the moon. This is because of the bulge in the Earth’s surface that occurs at the equator. Mount Chimborazo is not even in the top 10 tallest mountains in South America because it is only 20,548 feet above sea level and has a very low elevation. However, due to the fact that our globe is not entirely spherical and has a bulge in the centre, locations along the equator are marginally closer to the cosmos than other parts of the earth. According to these calculations, Chimborazo is almost 1.5 miles closer to the moon than Everest is. Isn’t it amazing how cool science can be?
When we think of the closest point to the moon, we might assume that this point is located on the Earth’s surface directly beneath the moon. However, this is not entirely accurate. The closest point to the moon is actually located on the summit of Mount Chimborazo, a dormant volcano in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador.
Mount Chimborazo is not the tallest mountain on Earth, with a summit elevation of 6,268 meters (20,564 feet), but it is the farthest point from the Earth’s center due to the Earth’s equatorial bulge. This means that the summit of Mount Chimborazo is about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) farther from the Earth’s center than the summit of Mount Everest, which is the tallest mountain on Earth.
Because of this unique position, the summit of Mount Chimborazo is actually closer to the moon than any other point on Earth. This is due to the fact that the moon’s orbit around the Earth is not perfectly circular, but rather elliptical. This means that the moon is sometimes closer to the Earth than at other times in its orbit.
At the point in the moon’s orbit where it is closest to the Earth, known as the perigee, the gravitational pull of the moon is strongest. This causes a slight bulge in the Earth’s surface, known as the tidal bulge. Because Mount Chimborazo is located near the equator, it is at the maximum distance from the Earth’s center, which means that it is also closest to the tidal bulge caused by the moon’s gravitational pull.
While the distance from the summit of Mount Chimborazo to the moon is still quite far, at approximately 384,400 kilometers (238,855 miles), it is still a fascinating fact that this mountain holds the title of being the closest point on Earth to the moon.
Mount Chimborazo is also a popular destination for climbers and hikers. Despite its lower elevation compared to other mountains, climbing to the summit of Mount Chimborazo is still a challenging and rewarding experience. The mountain is also home to a variety of unique flora and fauna, including the Andean condor and the vicuña, a type of South American camelid.
Mount Chimborazo, located in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, is the closest point on Earth to the moon. Its unique position near the equator and the Earth’s equatorial bulge make it the farthest point from the Earth’s center, which means that it is also closest to the tidal bulge caused by the moon’s gravitational pull. While it may not be the tallest mountain on Earth, Mount Chimborazo is still a popular destination for climbers and hikers, as well as a fascinating landmark for astronomy enthusiasts.