Horizon facts for kids
The horizon is the line where the earth seems to meet the sky. It comes from a Greek word meaning "to limit," because it looks like the edge of our world. When you stand on a flat field or by the ocean, you can often see this line very clearly.
Sometimes, the true horizon is hidden. This happens when there are trees, buildings, or mountains in the way. The line you see then is called the visible horizon. It's the furthest point you can see from where you are standing.
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What is the Horizon?
The horizon is the boundary line that separates the ground or water from the sky. It's a visual line that appears to be very far away. For sailors, the horizon is a crucial guide. It helps them know where they are and in which direction they are sailing.
True vs. Visible Horizon
The true horizon is the imaginary line you would see if nothing blocked your view. Imagine you are floating in space, looking at Earth. The line where the Earth's surface curves away from your sight would be the true horizon. It's a perfect circle around you.
The visible horizon is what you actually see. If you are in a city, tall buildings might block your view. If you are in a forest, trees will hide the true horizon. The visible horizon is always closer than the true horizon if there are obstacles.
How Far is the Horizon?
The distance to the horizon depends on how high up you are. If you are standing on the ground, the horizon is only a few kilometers away. For example, if you are 1.7 meters (about 5 feet 7 inches) tall, the horizon is about 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) away.
If you climb a tall mountain or fly in an airplane, you can see much further. This is because the Earth is a sphere, or a round ball. The higher you go, the more of the Earth's curve you can see. From a space shuttle, the horizon is hundreds of kilometers away!
Why Does the Horizon Look Flat?
Even though the Earth is round, the horizon often looks like a flat line. This is because the Earth is very, very big. When you look at a small part of a huge curve, it appears straight. Think of an ant on a giant beach ball. To the ant, the surface of the ball would seem flat.
However, if you are very high up, like in an airplane or space, you can start to see the curve of the Earth. This makes the horizon look like a gentle curve instead of a straight line.
Images for kids
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Geometrical basis for calculating the distance to the horizon.
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Geometrical distance to the horizon.
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Maximum zenith angle for an observer high up in the atmosphere.
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Geometrical horizon distance.
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A view across a 20-km-wide bay in Spain. Notice how the Earth's curve hides the bottom of buildings on the far shore.
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A ship moving away, beyond the horizon.
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Two points on the horizon are where lines from the edges of the building meet. The horizon line here is at the top of the doors and windows.
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See also
In Spanish: Horizonte para niños
