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Earth Curvature Formula:
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The Earth curvature formula calculates the distance to the visible horizon based on the observer's height above the Earth's surface. It accounts for the curvature of the Earth and is important for visibility calculations in navigation, aviation, and telecommunications.
The calculator uses the Earth curvature formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula accounts for the geometric relationship between the observer's height and the Earth's curvature to determine how far they can see.
Details: Knowing the distance to the horizon is crucial for navigation, radio communications, and understanding visibility limitations. It helps determine how far signals can travel line-of-sight and how much of distant objects are hidden by Earth's curvature.
Tips: Enter your height above ground level in meters and the Earth's radius (default is 6,371,000 m). All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: Why does the Earth's radius affect the calculation?
A: The larger the radius, the less curved the surface appears, allowing you to see farther for a given height.
Q2: How accurate is this formula?
A: It's mathematically precise for a perfect sphere without atmospheric refraction. Real-world values may vary slightly due to atmospheric conditions.
Q3: Does this account for atmospheric refraction?
A: No, this is the geometric calculation only. Atmospheric refraction typically increases visible distance by about 8%.
Q4: What's the practical application of this calculation?
A: Used in designing communication towers, ship navigation, determining runway visibility, and planning observation points.
Q5: How does height affect visibility distance?
A: Visibility increases with the square root of height - doubling your height increases visibility by about 41%.