Illustrated Horizon Lights Puzzle for FE proponents

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Second go - I found out how to display images, maybe we will get some discussion happening now.

The concept is that a boat is out on a calm but big lake , that can see two lights on land, of similar brightness (but lets say different colours).  A red one is on a mountain about 1000 metres high. The pink one is on the beach close to the waterline.

Scenario 1) On a flat earth, the boat could sail away from the shore, and eventually the two lights would fade from view. at say ~30 kilometres

Scenario 2) In real earth, the shore light disappears at ~5 kilometres, hidden by the curve of the earth, while the red light on the mountain will be visible for a long time.

The first scenario never happens in real life. The second scenario has occurred  thousands of times over 100's of years.

Maybe some FE enthusiasts can give their take on the logic.

This happens because of the greater distance between the earth and the top light.  This is no different than the mast of a sail boat being seen for longer periods of time than the hull. 
-If I ran two sets of tracks North to South, one pair separated by 10ft and one pair separated by 100ft into the distance and peered down them from North to South; the pair set apart at 10ft will appear to merge sooner than the pair separated by 100ft.  In reality, neither set merge at all.  My example is a horizontal one, yours is a vertical one.  Both are evidence of the same optical illusion.  Not to mention your diagram is misleading.  It's a side view however you are describing a straight on view in your worded example.  To put a a compass on your northern lights...your hypothetical crew are viewing from the south but your diagram is viewing from the west. 

This happens because of the greater distance between the earth and the top light.  This is no different than the mast of a sail boat being seen for longer periods of time than the hull. 
-If I ran two sets of tracks North to South, one pair separated by 10ft and one pair separated by 100ft into the distance and peered down them from North to South; the pair set apart at 10ft will appear to merge sooner than the pair separated by 100ft.  In reality, neither set merge at all.  My example is a horizontal one, yours is a vertical one.  Both are evidence of the same optical illusion.  Not to mention your diagram is misleading.  It's a side view however you are describing a straight on view in your worded example.  To put a a compass on your northern lights...your hypothetical crew are viewing from the south but your diagram is viewing from the west.

It doesn't matter if the object "merges" with the horizon. As long as there is nothing between you and it, the light would still reach you. It helps that RW is proposing to do the experiment with lights, rather than objects that could become indistinguishable in the horizon.

Quote from: chuck22 on November 16, 2012, 04:24:52 PM

This happens because of the greater distance between the earth and the top light.  This is no different than the mast of a sail boat being seen for longer periods of time than the hull. 
-If I ran two sets of tracks North to South, one pair separated by 10ft and one pair separated by 100ft into the distance and peered down them from North to South; the pair set apart at 10ft will appear to merge sooner than the pair separated by 100ft.  In reality, neither set merge at all.  My example is a horizontal one, yours is a vertical one.  Both are evidence of the same optical illusion.  Not to mention your diagram is misleading.  It's a side view however you are describing a straight on view in your worded example.  To put a a compass on your northern lights...your hypothetical crew are viewing from the south but your diagram is viewing from the west.

It doesn't matter if the object "merges" with the horizon. As long as there is nothing between you and it, the light would still reach you. It helps that RW is proposing to do the experiment with lights, rather than objects that could become indistinguishable in the horizon.

Exactly - this little effect does not rely on any 'merging, especially as it happens within ~6 kilometers, not over vast distances. Light is not easily confused in darkness.

This is not really an 'experiment' - it happens, has happened countless times. It requires the FE exponent to explain why the lower light becomes obscured, within such a firmly defined, but not very great distance.

This happens because of the greater distance between the earth and the top light.  This is no different than the mast of a sail boat being seen for longer periods of time than the hull. 
-If I ran two sets of tracks North to South, one pair separated by 10ft and one pair separated by 100ft into the distance and peered down them from North to South; the pair set apart at 10ft will appear to merge sooner than the pair separated by 100ft.  In reality, neither set merge at all.  My example is a horizontal one, yours is a vertical one.  Both are evidence of the same optical illusion.  Not to mention your diagram is misleading.  It's a side view however you are describing a straight on view in your worded example.  To put a a compass on your northern lights...your hypothetical crew are viewing from the south but your diagram is viewing from the west.

Your explanation is not addressing the problem I presented.

While the diagram is a side view, it has no bearing on the problem you have.

The shore light disappears from the deck of the yacht, long before the elevated one does. It re-appears if you turn and head back to the shore light.

While we are on the topic, your 'optical illusion' explanation cannot explain why the masthead lights of a yacht are visible a long time before the deck high navigational lights can be seen on a yacht, approaching land from over the horizon.

You may like to consider why the 'lookout'  on old sailing ships was placed high up in the mast.

It looks like the FE brigade  is having trouble figuring this one out.

It may be taxing their imagination, so here is a slight variation example of the same 'phenomenon' to expand  the concept.

Two yachts, sailing at night in the same direction, 5 kilometers apart.

Each yacht captain steering, can see the mast top light of the other boat, but neither captain can see the other yachts red and green navigation lights fastened to the decks of each yacht. Strangely though, the lookout perched high up in the mast can see the red and green navigation lights on the other craft quite easily.  Its almost as if there is some kind of low hill in the middle of the calm ocean.

What can possibly be causing this ?

If you were not so condescending with your posts, more FE'rs might bother to answer your posts.

First of all, how can you see a mast from 5 km away at night?  Is there a light on the mast or something?

Secondly, how is this any different from any of the other half dozen other active threads that involve ships, lights, and or masts?  You keep asking the same questions over and over.  Are you expecting different answers, or are you trying to see how many times you can get the same answers?

Finally, Have you even tried this experiment yourself? 

RW, you are either a closed minded individual who is just here to get a reaction out of people because you disagree with their beliefs, or just a bad troll.  You ask a question, get an answer, then ask again as if it has not been answered.  Are you really that lonely?

First of all, how can you see a mast from 5 km away at night?  Is there a light on the mast or something?

Each yacht captain steering, can see the mast top light of the other boat, but neither captain can see the other yachts red and green navigation lights fastened to the decks of each yacht.

I can now understand why 99% of the answers people receive on these forums are so frustrating, coz people don't read the posts before arguing them.

Quote from: jroa on November 21, 2012, 03:24:09 AM

First of all, how can you see a mast from 5 km away at night?  Is there a light on the mast or something?

Quote from: RW

Each yacht captain steering, can see the mast top light of the other boat, but neither captain can see the other yachts red and green navigation lights fastened to the decks of each yacht.

I can now understand why 99% of the answers people receive on these forums are so frustrating, coz people don't read the posts before arguing them.

This was beautiful!