St Bees, the Isle of Man, and the curvature of the Earth

On the West coast of England, in the Lake District, is the village of St. Bees. From here, on a clear day, you can look out across the ocean and see the Isle of Man, approximately 50 kilometres away. Just to the north-west of the village is a coastal walk up a hill, and from there it is possible to view the Isle of Man at many different elevations as you climb to the summit. The path rises to about 62 metres above sea level, and as you ascend something interesting can be observed. You’ll begin to notice that, at low elevation, much of the Isle of Man is obscured by the curve of the Earth, but as you steadily climb higher, the obstruction caused by the curve diminishes, and more of the island comes into view. Animating a sequence of photographs, taken from the walk, clearly demonstrates how the curvature of the Earth affects the visibility of the Isle of Man at various elevations. Music: Voice: