<blockquote>
<p>&quot;Does this mean that the shape of Earth itself is unique...?&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes, the Earth's shape is what is called a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoid" rel="nofollow noreferrer">geoid</a>. This is an exaggerated portrayal of it: <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/3ZSTK.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/3ZSTK.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>But the best approximation is an oblate ellipsoid of course.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-10T17:29:48.307Z
Thanks for the edit @Fred I always wondered how you do this.
Giovanni
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-10T07:33:22.587Z
Serious users of [GNSS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_navigation)  navigation, like hikers or bicyclists, focus on the altitude too. They are aware of the fact the Earth geoid deviates from the reference ellipsoid WGS84, used in the GNSS. Particularly, users in the Central Europe have to subtract about 60 metres from the raw GNSS altitude, what is usually done by the correction aware application.
Poutnik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-10T11:45:10.247Z
2021-12-10T15:50:56.973Z
2021-12-10T15:50:56.973Z
Giovanni
<p>I know that the best possible approximation of the shape of earth is an oblate sphere. But people also call it as geo-spherical shape of the Earth. What is the meaning of geospherical shape? Does this mean that the shape of Earth itself is unique and hence a word geospherical is used to define that shape but for mathematical calculations we use oblate as the closest approximation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-05T19:38:58.950Z
Thanks. I understand the theory behind earth approxmiating as oblate spheroid. But my que is I heard a renowned speaker saying earths shape is called as geospherical. But I am unable to understand the meaning of this word. Is it correct to say earth's shape is geospherical. PS: I don't have the link right now.
Talha
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-06T20:23:16.467Z
@Talha I haven't heard the term "geospherical". The description sounds like something that is normally called the "geoid"?
Semidiurnal Simon
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-06T21:13:17.463Z
The Geosphere is the solid bits of the earth. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/geosphere. Sometimes it's just easier to google things. https://lmgtfy.com/?q=geosphere+definition
Software Engineer
<geology><geophysics><earth-history><planetary-science><planets>
Geo-Spherical shape of Earth
Talha khan
# Geo-Spherical shape of Earth

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-04)

I know that the best possible approximation of the shape of earth is an oblate sphere. But people also call it as geo-spherical shape of the Earth. What is the meaning of geospherical shape? Does this mean that the shape of Earth itself is unique and hence a word geospherical is used to define that shape but for mathematical calculations we use oblate as the closest approximation.

**Tags:** geology, geophysics, earth-history, planetary-science, planets

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Thanks. I understand the theory behind earth approxmiating as oblate spheroid. But my que is I heard a renowned speaker saying earths shape is called as geospherical. But I am unable to understand the meaning of this word. Is it correct to say earth's shape is geospherical. PS: I don't have the link right now.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 I haven't heard the term "geospherical". The description sounds like something that is normally called the "geoid"?  
> **username_3**: The Geosphere is the solid bits of the earth. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/geosphere. Sometimes it's just easier to google things. https://lmgtfy.com/?q=geosphere+definition  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-12-10. Score: 3

> "Does this mean that the shape of Earth itself is unique...?"

Yes, the Earth's shape is what is called a [geoid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoid). This is an exaggerated portrayal of it: [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/3ZSTK.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/3ZSTK.jpg)

But the best approximation is an oblate ellipsoid of course.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Thanks for the edit @Fred I always wondered how you do this.  
> **username_5**: Serious users of [GNSS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_navigation)  navigation, like hikers or bicyclists, focus on the altitude too. They are aware of the fact the Earth geoid deviates from the reference ellipsoid WGS84, used in the GNSS. Particularly, users in the Central Europe have to subtract about 60 metres from the raw GNSS altitude, what is usually done by the correction aware application.  

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