Minitransat Fun Fact #2

How high would the mast have to be …
… in Salvador to be visible from La Rochelle?
OK – first, a disclaimer. It is nearly 30 years since I learned trigonometry, so if this calculations is wrong, you know why.
As we know, the surface of the earth is curved. Over short distances, it isn’t really obvious, but even over a few miles it becomes apparent. So as we sail away from La Rochelle, we will be sailing over the curve of the horizon. First our hulls will disappear from view, then our masts. Of course, if our masts were taller (and you had very good eyes!) you’d see them as we sailed farther away.
So – how tall would the mast have to be to see it in Salvador, from La Rochelle?
By my calculation, it would have to be 26,347 km tall. That is nearly TEN TIMES the height that the International Space Station orbits at. So a pretty big mast. And as the atmosphere effectively ends at about 100 km, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a mast that tall. No wind up there in space.
Think I got it wrong? Send me an e-mail (see “Contacts” page).

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