Geodetic effect

Okay kiddo, let me tell you about the geodetic effect. You know how the Earth is actually round like a ball? Well, because of that, it actually affects objects that move around close to it, like satellites and even light itself.

You see, objects that move close to the Earth actually follow the curve of the Earth's surface, which means that they are affected by something called gravity. Gravity is like a big invisible force that pulls things together. The closer something is to another object, the stronger the force of gravity is between them.

Now, the geodetic effect is a fancy way of saying that the Earth's shape actually affects how objects move around it. So, when an object is moving around the Earth, it actually follows a curved path called a geodesic. This path is influenced by the shape of the Earth, which is not perfectly round, but a bit flattened at the poles like a pumpkin.

One cool thing about the geodetic effect is that it even affects something as fast as light! Light travels in a straight line, but when it passes near a massive object like Earth or the Sun, its path is bent slightly due to the geodetic effect.

So, next time you think about satellites or how light travels, remember that the Earth's shape actually influences how they move around it. Isn't science amazing?