Today
we celebrate the spot on Earth that is closest to the moon.
The
spot that is farthest from the center of the Earth.
In
other words, the highest spot, the tip-top of Mount Everest, one
would think! This mountain is the highest elevation in the world—so
it must be closest to the moon and farthest from the center of the
Earth.
Right?
Well,
you've probably figured out that that would be wrong. The tip of
paltry little Chimborazo, an inactive volcano that is a mere 20,565
feet high, is actually the closest to the moon.
And,
of course, farthest from the center of the Earth.
This
is because we measure elevation from sea level. And compared to Mount
Everest, Chimborazo is almost ten thousand feet closer to sea level.
But Chimborazo is located in Ecuador, very close to the equator. And,
as you may have heard, the Earth isn't a perfect sphere. It bulges a
little in the middle—that is, at the equator. So this South
American mountain sticks out into space about one and half miles more
than Mount Everest!!
Also
on this date:
Anniversary of tonsillitis striking Elvis Presley and Ringo Starr 
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