[steve86]

This is the same as the “penny dropped from a skyscraper lands a millimeter to the side” in another comment, or not?

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I am not sure about the millimeter, or the construction of a skyscraper. Assume that a skyscraper is a six sided solid, with four identical rectangular sides and a square base and top, constructed in the mid latitudes, with the sides of its base aligned to North-South and East-West and the vertical sides perpendicular to the ellipsoid at the bottom,as near as possible. If you release a coin (in a vacuum) from the top, it would land slightly to the North of where it was released. From the north side, slightly further than the release point, from the south side, slightly closer. From the east or west side same distance away, but always slightly north.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Steve,

If it helps you visualize, look at his diagram again:

The building (I assume you are assuming) would follow the line called "perpendicular to the ellipsoid", i.e., "level". The diagram illustrates where the lines cross the surface of the ellipsoid. Move the "direction of gravity line to the left, without changing its direction, until it intersects the top of the "normal to the ellipsoid" line. While not perfectly accurate technically (it's complicated) that should illustrate the idea - the penny falls to the north in the northern hemisphere, to the south in southern hemisphere. (Flip the illustration upside down, "prove" it.)