In this article we will present several online calculators for the curvature of the Earth. With these platforms you can calculate the hidden part of a distant object, from the viewpoint of an observer. Simply enter the distance to the object, along with the height of the viewpoint to get the results. The calculators also show the distance to the horizon from the observer.
The platforms assume the Earth is spherical, with a radius of 6371.393 km, and then use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the distance to the horizon. Then, they use that distance to calculate the Earth's curvature. If you don't know the precise distance from the observer to the object, you can use mapping and navigation services.
Walter.bislins.ch
We will start with Walter.bislins.ch, the web page of a German engineer that offers educational content and tools for free. Of course, the platform has a very advanced Earth curvature calculator that provides detailed results along with graphs (from all angles with and without refraction). In its basic version, you can enter the following fields: Observer height, Target distance, Target size, Reflection, Zoom, and Field of view. Simply enter the Observer height and Target distance to calculate the Earth's curvature and the distance to the horizon, along with the hidden height of the object.
MetaBunk.org
MetaBunk.org is an online community where you can find scientific explanations behind real-world events (phenomena, conspiracies, etc.). But it also has an Earth curvature calculator for horizon, bulge, drop, and hidden height of an object. The platform has a basic mode, where you only need to enter two fields (target distance and observer height). Then it will provide the distance between the viewer and the target. But you will also get additional information like: horizon distance, bulge, drop, hidden height, and horizon tilt. In its advanced mode, you can manually enter the following values: Earth radius, horizontal FOV, and image width.
OmniCalculator.com
The web page has 682 calculators for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Conversion, Finance, Ecology, Health, etc. In the Physics section, you will find the Earth curvature calculator. The environment has three input fields (distance to object, eye level, and distance to horizon).
Dizzib.GitHub.io
If all the platforms mentioned above seem too complicated, with Dizzib.GitHub.io you will have no problem calculating the hidden height of an object along with the horizon distance. First you have to select the unit system. Then enter the eye height and target distance, then click on Calculate to get the results.
With these online platforms you will have several options to easily calculate the hidden height of a distant object.
