prolate

A prolate spheroid is a spheroid in which the polar diameter is longer than the equatorial diameter.

A prolate spheroid

Prolate spheroids in sport

The prolate spheroid is the shape of the ball in several sports, such as Rugby Football and Australian Rules Football. American Football and Canadian Football use a pointed prolate spheroid (also resembling a rotated vesica piscis).^[1]

Prolate spheroids in astronomy

The prolate spheroid, like the oblate spheroid, is the shape of some of the moons in the solar system. Examples are Mimas, Enceladus, and Tethys (moons of Saturn) and Miranda (moon of Uranus).

See also

• Oblate
• Spheroid
• Reference ellipsoid
• List of solar system objects by mass
• Triaxial

References

1. ^ See 2006 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations, Sec. 1, Art. 1

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