[stack]

When you claim this, are you saying that:

- You can see what looks like a clear delineation in most conditions, but you are not sure if the sky extends below this

There is no clear delineation.

Almost 300 years of celestial navigation using the horizon line seems to indicate that there is some sort of discernible delineation. At least very useful considering how accurate a sextant can be in determining one's longitude and latitude.

The sextant is held level to the perceived (not clearly delineated) horizon line, yes.

Yes, yet dependent on a horizon line and shockingly accurate for centuries. If it were not delineated to some extent, celestial navigation would be useless. Off a degree over 500 miles away from Hawaii as your destination would have you sailing nowhere within sight of the islands. So the horizon line must be somewhat delineated to be that useful. To what extent, idk, but good enough for mariners performing essential navigation duties.

[Action80]

"to the perceived (not clearly delineated) horizon line, yes"

Not clearly delineated, yes.

Perceived, yes.

[Action80]

When you claim this, are you saying that:

- You can see what looks like a clear delineation in most conditions, but you are not sure if the sky extends below this

There is no clear delineation.

Almost 300 years of celestial navigation using the horizon line seems to indicate that there is some sort of discernible delineation. At least very useful considering how accurate a sextant can be in determining one's longitude and latitude.

The sextant is held level to the perceived (not clearly delineated) horizon line, yes.

Yes, yet dependent on a horizon line and shockingly accurate for centuries. If it were not delineated to some extent, celestial navigation would be useless. Off a degree over 500 miles away from Hawaii as your destination would have you sailing nowhere within sight of the islands. So the horizon line must be somewhat delineated to be that useful. To what extent, idk, but good enough for mariners performing essential navigation duties.

"Close enough for government work," (as it were), and based on the outline of the heavens above the flat earth plane.

[Gonzo]

Action80,

Please can you provide any evidence that backs up your view that 'it is fact' ...'that no one person can claim with certainty what it is they are looking at from such a distance away' and that 'Every seafarer and navigator know the traits of both mediums are identical in most instances when it comes to coloration'?

Well, I don't know how to be more clear on either point.

You've been clear as to what you believe, I wasn't asking you that, I'd like to understand what you're basing that view on. What evidence have you got? Is it recorded that people often confuse what they think is the horizon with something else? That the sea extends further up then they think, or the sky extends further down than they think?

There is no clear delineation.

You don't see a clear delineation on my photograph? I've marked it with the red arrow as to where I'm seeing one. The reflective sea, and the non-reflective sky. Does the area below the arrow, and the area above the arrow look the same to you?

[bindardundat]

Okay I agree that curvature of the horizon from left to right is not visible from the surface of the earth.
What I am wondering is what sort of curvature would you expect to see... would it be in a north south direction? An east west direction?

If you expect to see curvature what happens when you are in the middle of the ocean (or somewhere else where you could see the horizon in all directions) and turn around 360 degrees? Would you expect to see the horizon at a lower level when you have turned 180 degrees and then rise up again as you complete your 360 degree rotation?

Just wondering what the flat earth believers expect to see when they look at the horizon and declare "It's flat, no curvature there". But especially what would you expect to see if you could turn around 360 degrees and see the horizon in all directions. Isn't a flat horizon as you rotate around 360 degrees what you would expect to see if the earth is a sphere?

Because the flat horizon is the major point which seems to persuade people that the earth is flat. But it seems illogical to me that people would expect to see a curve down to either side when eg viewing a picture of the horizon.
Yet in reality there is curvature, but just not side to side as we look toward the horizon, instead the earth curves away from you - in every direction - as you look toward the horizon and rotate 360 degrees. And the fact that you could climb the crows nest of a ship and see further is irrefutable - after all isn't that why they had crows nests in the first place? "Land Ahoy!" So that they could see further over the horizon to see other ships coming or land in the distance. And also the curvature over the horizon is the reason lighthouses are built very tall?

You can't see the curvature of the earth. Even from space all you can see is a circle with no way of knowing if you're looking at a flat circle or a ball. You can only tell it's a ball if you have the depth perception to see the ball curving away from you (i.e. you can perceive 3d).

[bindardundat]

I just joined, so I'm not familiar with the posters here. I looked farther down and saw a thread called "looking for curvature of the earth is a fool's errand'. I read the first post and I think it explains everything you need to know about the topic. I didn't read the responses.

[Alisa]

Yes, that's why lighthouses are built very high, to get a clearer view of the surrounding landscape and to see ships far from land, even in the dark of night. And as you rotate 360 degrees in the middle of the ocean, you will notice that the horizon changes with each rotation as it slowly bends away from you. If you look closely, you may also notice the curvature of the Earth's surface.

[bindardundat]

And as you rotate 360 degrees in the middle of the ocean, you will notice that the horizon changes with each rotation as it slowly bends away from you.

No, No, No. That is exactly what does NOT happen. The horizon will look exactly the same as you spin around. Nobody seems to understand this.