1. What is the Distance to Horizon?

The distance to the horizon is the maximum distance at which an observer can see objects on Earth's surface before they disappear below the horizon due to Earth's curvature. This calculation is important in navigation, aviation, and telecommunications.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the horizon distance formula:

Where:

• \( d \) — Distance to horizon (meters)
• \( h \) — Observer's height above surface (meters)
• \( r \) — Earth's radius (meters, default 6,371,000)

Explanation: The formula accounts for both the observer's height and Earth's curvature to calculate the visible distance.

3. Importance of Horizon Distance Calculation

Details: Knowing the horizon distance is crucial for navigation, radio communications, and understanding visibility limitations in various fields like aviation and maritime operations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter observer height in meters and Earth's radius (default is mean Earth radius). All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why does Earth's radius affect the calculation?
A: The greater the radius, the less curved the surface appears, increasing the horizon distance for a given height.

Q2: How does observer height affect the distance?
A: Higher observation points dramatically increase visible distance - doubling height increases distance by about 41%.

Q3: What's the practical maximum horizon distance?
A: For a person of average height (1.7m), it's about 4.7km. From Burj Khalifa (828m), it's approximately 103km.

Q4: Does atmospheric refraction affect this?
A: Yes, under normal conditions refraction increases the distance by about 8% (not accounted for in this basic calculation).

Q5: Can this formula be used on other planets?
A: Yes, just replace Earth's radius with the radius of the planet you're calculating for.