Can you see the Isles of Scilly from Cornwall?
On a clear day is it possible to see the Isles of Scilly from Cornwall with the aid of binoculars? A distance of around 40km.
I know on a very clear day you can only see maximum 20km from sea level but the coast of Cornwall is higher than sea level. So does the height advantage of the cliffs enable you to see further across the horizon?
There are a couple of online forums that suggest you can see the Isle of Scilly from Cornwall but no photographic evidence.
Best Answer
They can be seen from Cornwall, and photographic evidence isn't hard to find.
Isles of Scilly from Gwennap Head. Source: Bob Jones via Wikimedia Commons.
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Can you see Scilly Isles from Cornwall?
They can be seen from Cornwall, and photographic evidence isn't hard to find. Isles of Scilly from Gwennap Head.How far are the Isles of Scilly from Cornwall?
With their white sand beaches and azure waters, the Isles of Scilly might look like they are a million miles away, but they sit just 28 miles from the coast of Cornwall.How far is it from Lands End to the Isle of Scilly?
The Isles of Scilly may only be 28 miles away from Lands End, but it feels like a world away from the rest of England and offers a magical escape away from real life. They are a collection of 140 islands, the smallest no larger than a rock and the largest no bigger than three by two miles.How many miles from tip of Cornwall to Isles of Scilly?
The Isles of Scilly are just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, close enough to visit for the day.ISLES OF SCILLY, CORNWALL - Is The Day Trip Worth It?
More answers regarding can you see the Isles of Scilly from Cornwall?
Answer 2
I saw the islands from near St Just last week, a distance of almost 30 miles. Very faint, but definitely visible. I had no trouble with binoculars separating the islands and the hill on Samson.
Answer 3
I saw them using binoculars aboard the Brittany Ferry service from Plymouth, Devon to Roscoff, Brittany on 25th August 2018. Halangy Down Transmitter on St Marys was visible. The visibility was excellent, but perhaps there was a temperature inversion happening, or something like it, since I wouldn't have expected to be able to see over such a great distance (approx 90 - 95 miles). I have seen the Lizard peninsula from Rame Head before with the naked eye, which is about 45 - 50 miles, and that was unusual, so I was really excited to see the Isles of Scilly.
Answer 4
Based on Mark Mayos excellent answer to this question and calculating the height 80 metres close to the Cornwall coast line you can only see a maximum of 32km with the naked eye.
This is based on the calculation:
where d = distance in km and h = height in metres.
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