While Everest is the highest peak above sea level, Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is actually the closest point on Earth to the stars.
The Equatorial Bulge:
- 🌍 The Shape of Earth: Our planet is not a perfect sphere; it bulges at the equator due to centrifugal force from its rotation.
- 📍 The Location: Chimborazo sits almost exactly on the equator. Because of the Earth's bulge, the ground there is "thicker" or pushed further out into space.
The Comparison:
- 📏 When measured from the Earth's center, Chimborazo's peak is about 2,168 meters (7,113 feet) further away than Everest's peak, making it the physical point closest to the sun and space.