How many miles in each direction can you see from the top of the Empire State building?

[Northsider]

I'm not good at math. Sounds like you know what you are talking about though.

[timz]

Looking toward Philadelphia from the ESB--

NE corner of the top of Comcast is about 39.954871 n 75.168226 w, geoid height there -32.93; center of the ESB is 40.7484335, 74.985655, geoid height -31.74. Spheroid radius of curvature at the ESB is 6376692 m, at Comcast 6375814, so I'll say sea level has a radius of 6376221 m along that line. I'll figure ESB height 1300 ft above sea level, Comcast 1010 ft.

Turns out the unrefracted straight line is 0.5 meters above sea level at its lowest point; ground elevation never exceeds 40 meters anywhere around there, so if the air is clear enough (which maybe it never is) refraction could be enough to make a beacon visible.

Then there are the towers at Roxborough-- it seems the highest one is 472.1 meters above sea level at about 40-02-30.1 N 75-14-10.1 W. Unrefracted sightline is 91 meters above sea level at its lowest point; there's a 280-ft ridge a couple kilometers west of there, so we'll need some refraction here too.

The map is at http://tinyurl.com/d4wr69 and it shows that Google's lines aren't perfectly accurate.

[southphilly1974]

I flew into Philly summer 2010 on a bright clear sunny day. While waiting to get permission to land I'm very very sure that I was looking at NYC in the far distance. I could see tall buildings way out on the horizon. I was so geeked but I didn't want to seem like a fool so I just kept it to myself.

[redbaron_012]

You can see the same distance in any direction from the Empire State Building....on a clear day.....although maybe out over the Atlantic would have a further absolute horizon ?

[Hudson11]

looking for a few good ones

westward view



http://tiny.cc/oliev

eastern view



http://tiny.cc/ze0bb

Northern View



Southern view

[Uaarkson]

You can't see Philly from the ESB, but once 1WTC is complete, you'll be able to see the beam of light from Philly.

[Nexis]

Originally Posted by Uaarkson

You can't see Philly from the ESB, but once 1WTC is complete, you'll be able to see the beam of light from Philly.

LOL , that would be impossible. Philly is 2hrs away....you can't see Philly from NYC or vis versa. The Farthest you can see NYC is in the Mountains 40 miles away , that's on a super clear day , on a smoggy day your visibility is cut down to 15-20miles...

[Nexis]

Originally Posted by southphilly1974

I flew into Philly summer 2010 on a bright clear sunny day. While waiting to get permission to land I'm very very sure that I was looking at NYC in the far distance. I could see tall buildings way out on the horizon. I was so geeked but I didn't want to seem like a fool so I just kept it to myself.

Probably weren't looking at NYC , probably was New Brunswick or Atlantic City which both have tall buildings that look like NYC from a far. Its also impossible to see NYC from Philly , there about 90 miles apart.

[charmedone]

Originally Posted by Abidrovia

Where was that pic taken from?

How far away?

looks like they were taken from Bear Mt

[babybackribs2314]

Originally Posted by Nexis

Probably weren't looking at NYC , probably was New Brunswick or Atlantic City which both have tall buildings that look like NYC from a far. Its also impossible to see NYC from Philly , there about 90 miles apart.

They are actually only 80 miles, and given the WTC beam will be very clear up to ~3000' in the air, I wouldn't be surprised if it were indeed visible from Philly.

[wombat king45]

ik for a fact you can see the empire state building from the fire tower on mount beacon on a very clear day, which is 60 miles north

[timz]

Originally Posted by redbaron_012

You can see the same distance in any direction from the Empire State Building....on a clear day

You could if there weren't any hills blocking your view, as they do to the north and west. On a reasonably clear day the Bridgeport stack is visible 51 miles away; the Connecticut shoreline is visible for a few miles beyond it, but I've never identified any particular building there. The mast at 40.2826N 74.68635W is silhouetted in the afternoon 49 miles away.

Beacon Mtn is 51 miles away.

[timz]

Originally Posted by southphilly1974

I flew into Philly summer 2010 on a bright clear sunny day. While waiting to get permission to land I'm very very sure that I was looking at NYC in the far distance.

Suspect you're right. Wonder from what altitude the skyline would show up best? Probably if it's right on the horizon, silhouetted against the sky beyond-- so maybe 5000 ft or so?

[Nexis]

Originally Posted by babybackribs2314

They are actually only 80 miles, and given the WTC beam will be very clear up to ~3000' in the air, I wouldn't be surprised if it were indeed visible from Philly.

I still doubt that , its 80 miles and its flat if you can't see it now what makes you think a beam will be visible...?

[timz]

Originally Posted by Nexis

if you can't see it now what makes you think a beam will be visible...?

No reason to think you can't see it now, from 5000 ft altitude. From the top of the Comcast Center is harder to predict.

[Uaarkson]

If the beam of light is a thick, bright laser-esque beam like what is being advertised, you would most definitely see it from the taller buildings from Philly on a clear night.

[timz]

Originally Posted by Uaarkson

If the beam of light is a thick, bright laser-esque beam like what is being advertised...

Probably the folks in the neighboring buildings will successfully object to anything "laser-esque"?

What is being advertised?

[Hudson11]

it's 1776 feet in the sky neighboring buildings wont be able to see it and i doubt it will bother those at a distance either.

[Uaarkson]

I'm sure bankers in Zurich don't mind the mountains!

[Uaarkson]

Behold:




Consider also: some guy in the 1WTC construction thread claims that a PA source confirmed there would be only horizontal lighting. Who knows.