Seeing Africa last evening from Nerja

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Lyric
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Re: Seeing Africa last evening from Nerja

Postby Lyric » Sun Jan 05, 2020 11:40 am

From 394m we regularly see something, it is quite clearly the tops if the Rif mountains, the peaks line up with a compass and a map. I have little interest in the mechanism but am satisfied that it is North Africa.
The last time or maybe the time before that this came up I did a calculation that proved to me that there was an overlap of the visible horizons.
It may be refraction but the same every time ? The view is unchanging apart from it's clarity.

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Devils Advocate
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Re: Seeing Africa last evening from Nerja

Postby Devils Advocate » Sun Jan 05, 2020 11:48 am

I don't know whether the debate is can you see them from Nerja, if so I don't know. However at 650m above sea level further inland the 2000m Riff peaks are well and truly visible. Many line of sight calculators can confirm this is more than possible.

I reckon on the beach at Nerja a 2000 peak would be visible at 150-180km so if you know the exact distance between the 2 points then you can get a feel for if it's possible.

I need no proof or calculators for the pics I took, pics that showed the same mountain outline year after year.
Property owner in Andalucia since 2002. How time flies.

1bassleft
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Re: Seeing Africa last evening from Nerja

Postby 1bassleft » Sun Jan 05, 2020 5:32 pm

Blimey, might get a lockdown (hopefully) before this ends up like those Youtube flame wars. Light refraction is a thing, although it's okay to consider it an illusion if you like. In the same way as the science demonstration with the coin in a cup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFYsyTbjw7g

there are certain atmospheric conditions that allow you to see things that aren't where they seem to be thanks to a bit of light bending. As chrissiehope mentioned some years ago, I've been at sea level at Calahonda and see land features in the evening I wouldn't at other times. At least no-one here thinks it's NASA making it all up and all that Antarctic Ice Wall they won't let us see for ourselves (seriously, refraction and gravity are inventions of the Masons)

If anyone's interested enough, this link helps
https://flatearth.ws/curvature-calculator


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