Show HN: Algorithmically finding the longest line of sight on Earth (alltheviews.world)

Article summary

The article presents a project that used a custom-developed algorithm to find the longest line of sight on Earth, with the longest line being 530km from the Kunlun Mountains to Pik Dankova. The project also identified other long lines of sight, including a 504km line in Colombia and a 483km line from Mount Elbrus in Russia to the Pontic Mountains in Turkey. The project's findings are available on an interactive map. The map allows users to explore around 4.5 billion lines of sight.

Main themes

• Longest line of sight
• Geographical mapping
• Algorithmic calculation
• Atmospheric effects
• Terrain visibility

What commenters say

• The project's results may not be accurate at a local scale due to the limited resolution of the underlying data, which can lead to incorrect line of sight calculations in urban areas.
• The longest line of sight may be affected by atmospheric conditions, such as refraction, which can either help or hinder visibility.
• The project's methodology and data sources have limitations, including the omission of human-made structures and vegetation, which can impact the accuracy of the results.
• The concept of a 'picture' or 'photograph' can be subjective, and it is debated whether a silhouette or a photograph of a shadow constitutes a valid image.
• The use of high-resolution data sets, such as LiDAR, could potentially improve the accuracy of the project's results, but it would also increase the complexity and scale of the data.
• The project's findings have implications for various fields, including photography, geography, and telecommunications, and could be used to optimize the placement of wireless communication nodes or to plan long-distance photography shots.