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Calculating mountain heights from behind the horizon

  • 29-11-2018 11:50am
    #1
    Rikand
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,512 ✭✭✭✭


    Not sure if I should be posting this in Mathematics or Geography but here goes.

    I have a curiousity about how to mathematically calculate mountain heights from behind the horizon line and more curiously, am I seeing the mountain I think I'm seeing.

    I live in Athlone, but the mountain I think I'm seeing is Moylussa in Co. Clare

    McxHBZ1

    Calculate-Mountain-Heights.jpg

    Using the image attached as a guide. From athlone I can quite clearly see Slieve Báwn up north beyond strokestown at a distance of 35 km away. (red line) Slieve Bawn is about 300m high

    I can also very clearly see the Slieve Blooms, 40 km away (blue line) Slieve blooms are about 500m high

    But is it possible for me to be seeing Moylussa and more importantly, how can I calculate it ? Moylussa represented by the pink line is 70km away, however, from my vantage point I am looking straight down the length of the Shannon and Lough Derg. I am also standing at a height of 60m asl. Moylussa is 532 metres high.

    Finally, I cant always see it. Since the winter has set in, I have barely been able to see it any day, compared with the summer where I could see it most days.

    If I were to guesstimate, I feel like I would be seeing it from 200m or 300m of its height behind the horizon

    Also, I found this as a calculator :: http://www.ringbell.co.uk/info/hdist.htm but I'm not sure if the paragraph at the bottom covers my situation
    The reverse is also true, whilst rowing across the Atlantic, the very top of a mountain range 400m high could be seen on your horizon at a distance of 71.4 km assuming the air was clear enough.


    This has bothered me for about 2 years, so any help is greatly appreciated :D


Comments

  • #2
    Yakuza
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,141 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    VSauce is a good sauce...sorry...source :) of information.
    Check this out (stuff you want is about 16:30 in, but the whole video is worth the 26 minutes (IMHO :))


  • #3
    Rikand
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,512 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    Yakuza wrote: »
    VSauce is a good sauce...sorry...source :) of information.
    Check this out (stuff you want is about 16:30 in, but the whole video is worth the 26 minutes (IMHO :))

    That whole video was totally worth it. I am now a subscriber, lol. Using his links, I got linked elsewhere through a variety of different sites to get to the solution that I think I'm looking for

    HEY WHATS THAT - OMG THIS SITE IS AMAZING! - shows what I need

    Actually, the mountain I am seeing is the one the eastern side of the shannon of which name I dont have. But its in Tipperary and it's just shy of 500 metres :). Judging by the horizon lines from the mountain, it absolutely appears to be correct and matching what I am seeing

    Other-Mountain.jpg

    I still want to work it out mathematically, which I can do via the links below. But its late and thats a job for tomorrow, lol

    This one: to This one: to This one: :)


    Many many thanks for your help Yakuza :)


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