Longest line of sight on earth photographed
Who
Marc Bret Gumá
What
443 kilometre(s)
Where
Spain (Pic de Finestrelles)
When

The longest line of sight on earth photographed is 443 km (275 miles), achieved by Mark Bret Gumá (Spain), from Pic de Finestrelles, Spain, to Pic Gaspard, France, on 13 July 2016.


The photograph was taken using a Panasonic Lumix FZ72, following lengthy preparations in selecting the optimal date and location. The image was captured when the sun was rising behind Tête de Chabrières and Puy de la Sèche, to help increase the visibility of this peaks on the horizon.

The picture was taken from Pic de Finestrelles, in the Pyrenees mountains. Pic Gaspard, of the Alps, can be seen in the centre of the photo, 443 km away.

There are very few places on earth where it is possible to extend the line of sight so far. Due to the curvature of earth, both the observer and object must be at sufficiently high altitudes for the object to be visible at long range. The higher an observer is, the further they may see before the point where the earth curves out of sight, otherwise known as the horizon. If the earth had a uniform radius with no mountains and valleys, an individual six feet in height would view the horizon to be 5 km away from them.