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Old 04-21-2016, 03:44 AM
 
1 posts, read 5,117 times
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I live in a very special place for this specific topic. I live in Utah where we have the Wasatch and Uintah mountain ranges. These are ranges that comprise the western side of the Rocky Mountains. From our western facing mountain peaks when conditions allow; we can see across a vast Desert containing the great Salt Lake. We can then see over many of the smaller mountain ranges until we see Nevada’s Ruby Mountain Range 280 miles away. We can clearly see Ruby Dome peak, which is 11,387 feet and the Soldier Peak, 10,079 feet and the Verdi Peak, 11,073 feet and others. We can see much further than that however. We can clearly see standing above and beyond the Ruby Mountain Range the even taller peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at around 14,500 feet. Because the Sierra Nevada Mountains are so much taller, this compensates for earths curvature. That’s 550 miles we can see total from the Peaks of the western Rocky Mountains to the peaks of the great Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Last edited by Isaac_Is_Me; 04-21-2016 at 03:52 AM.. Reason: Formating.
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Old 04-21-2016, 04:10 PM
 
Location: Bellingham, WA
1,422 posts, read 1,914,189 times
Reputation: 2777
Quote:
Originally Posted by Isaac_Is_Me View Post
I live in a very special place for this specific topic. I live in Utah where we have the Wasatch and Uintah mountain ranges. These are ranges that comprise the western side of the Rocky Mountains. From our western facing mountain peaks when conditions allow; we can see across a vast Desert containing the great Salt Lake. We can then see over many of the smaller mountain ranges until we see Nevada’s Ruby Mountain Range 280 miles away. We can clearly see Ruby Dome peak, which is 11,387 feet and the Soldier Peak, 10,079 feet and the Verdi Peak, 11,073 feet and others. We can see much further than that however. We can clearly see standing above and beyond the Ruby Mountain Range the even taller peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at around 14,500 feet. Because the Sierra Nevada Mountains are so much taller, this compensates for earths curvature. That’s 550 miles we can see total from the Peaks of the western Rocky Mountains to the peaks of the great Sierra Nevada Mountains.
It's true that you're in a special space for viewing distant landmarks, but I have a tough time believing your numbers. I'm not a mathematician but I've read a bit on the subject and from what I can tell, the longest sightline on Earth- even from the top of much higher mountains- is nowhere near the distance you're claiming. I believe you that you can see the Ruby Range- though the linear distance between the Ruby Range and Wasatch is more like 180 miles, not 280. And that is very impressive, don't get me wrong. But 2-3 times that distance?

You mentioned taller peaks compensating for the curvature of the earth, but considering the dozens of sequential ranges between the Wasatch and Sierra Nevada- many reaching 8,000'-11,000' and several hundred miles out- it would be impossible to see peaks only 3,000 feet higher beyond them.

Again, from what I can tell- the furthest line of sight distance- between two substantially higher mountains (Mt. Sanford 16,237 and Denali at 20,310, with nothing remotely close to those heights in between) is 227 miles, and even computer generated viewpoint panorama software estimates on the planet end are limited to 300 miles.

Do you have any proof of your claim? Sorry, I don't mean to sound mean, it just sounds incredulous. Do you think that you might be confusing the Sierras with a random NV range? Below are a few threads/pages on the subject.

Longest lines of sight photographed....... : General

Panoramas
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Old 04-22-2016, 11:15 AM
 
Location: Tacoma
37 posts, read 42,817 times
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I live within view of Rainier, in Tacoma and some days Rainier looks much closer than others. Like dramatically closer. Am I just crazy or is there some sort of light and/or atmospheric conditions at play?
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Old 11-25-2016, 10:35 PM
 
1 posts, read 4,825 times
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if you are at an elevation of 5,000 feet then you will only theoretically be able to see the tip of a 14,000 foot mountain peaking over the horizon at 125 miles away. After that the mountain dips below the horizon mathematically.
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Old 01-23-2017, 04:57 PM
 
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"Curve" of the earth doesn't get in the way in any place I've been. In nevada, you can see mountains over 100 miles away just about anywhere you go. The so called curve does not exist, at 90 miles the earth should curve a mile below where you are yet I can see mountains well below 10,000 ft tall that are over 90 miles away and yet I'm at 5000+ ft in elevation, does not make any sense. Not only can you see the top of these mountains but you can see the base as well. The curve does not exist. Mathematically speaking, you guys are right but the globe has to be hundreds of times larger than we are taught or it's flat. You can't see a mountain that's less than a mile higher in elevation than you if it's 100 miles away but you can see them everywhere.
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Old 01-25-2017, 12:47 AM
 
Location: Pacific NW
545 posts, read 407,499 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diddlyderp View Post
"Curve" of the earth doesn't get in the way in any place I've been. In nevada, you can see mountains over 100 miles away just about anywhere you go. The so called curve does not exist, at 90 miles the earth should curve a mile below where you are yet I can see mountains well below 10,000 ft tall that are over 90 miles away and yet I'm at 5000+ ft in elevation, does not make any sense. Not only can you see the top of these mountains but you can see the base as well. The curve does not exist. Mathematically speaking, you guys are right but the globe has to be hundreds of times larger than we are taught or it's flat. You can't see a mountain that's less than a mile higher in elevation than you if it's 100 miles away but you can see them everywhere.
So we are debating whether or not the earth is round or not now?
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Old 01-25-2017, 12:32 PM
 
1,349 posts, read 1,690,252 times
Reputation: 2391
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diddlyderp View Post
"Curve" of the earth doesn't get in the way in any place I've been. In nevada, you can see mountains over 100 miles away just about anywhere you go. The so called curve does not exist, at 90 miles the earth should curve a mile below where you are yet I can see mountains well below 10,000 ft tall that are over 90 miles away and yet I'm at 5000+ ft in elevation, does not make any sense. Not only can you see the top of these mountains but you can see the base as well. The curve does not exist. Mathematically speaking, you guys are right but the globe has to be hundreds of times larger than we are taught or it's flat. You can't see a mountain that's less than a mile higher in elevation than you if it's 100 miles away but you can see them everywhere.
Oh my.
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Old 01-26-2017, 10:13 AM
 
Location: The Springs
1,778 posts, read 2,859,941 times
Reputation: 1891
A lot depends on your vantage point. For example, you'll have a hard time seeing the Front Range from Ft Morgan, CO, which is approximately 90 miles.

But under the average conditions, you can see Pikes Peak easily from DIA, 80+ miles.
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Old 01-26-2017, 12:17 PM
 
Location: Seattle WA, USA
5,673 posts, read 4,829,424 times
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Originally Posted by bartonizer View Post
We've seen Rainier from near Moses Lake on I-90, and I've seen pictures from Ritzville, which is about 165 miles away.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thevie...re/5824903083/

Also, I've seen pictures of Rainier from 130 miles north at Samish Overlook, south of Bellingham, and some say you can see it from Bellingham Bay.
https://northwesternimages.files.wor...ol-10m-web.jpg

The furthest mountain that I've personally seen was Denali from Ted Stevens Int'l Airport/Earthquake Park, which is about 150 miles south. There are some locations where you can see the mountain from 200 miles.
Are you sure it was Mt. Rainier, I think it might be Mt. Adams since it's further east and there are not as many other mountains to block it's view.
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Old 01-26-2017, 03:40 PM
 
Location: Cbus
1,719 posts, read 2,077,883 times
Reputation: 2148
About 9 inches away on my computer screen, ain't no mountains in central ohio
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