If the earth is a Globe, all Tangent targets will appear in line with eye level for an observer at 3.91 m height. The upper Tangent targets consist of a row of 4 targets, increasing in height with increasing distance.

The upper Tangent targets will curve up for an observer at 3.91 m height. If the earth is flat, all this targets will appear at eye level for an observer at 1.85 m height. The lower Bedford targets consist of a row of 6 targets, all 1.85 m above water level. The lower targets are called Bedford targets, the upper targets are called Tangent targets. The target center heights were chosen in such a way, that on each earth model one of two rows of targets will be at eye level of an observer while the other row curves up (Flat Earth) or down (Globe). The lake provides an unobstructed path of about 10 km from George's home to a small island called Home Island, ideal for this experiment.

The lake was choosen for this expermient because George Hnatiuk lives right at the lake and is equipped with the tools and vehicles like a snowmobile necessary for the experiment. So no hot surface heating up the air immediately above it causing a vertical gradient in the refractive index of light, thereby avoiding atmospheric refraction also known as looming and similar refraction phenomena.ĭuring the winter months until May, the lake is covered by a meter-thick layer of ice. The Bedford Level experiment over a frozen Rainy Lake, a relatively large freshwater lake (930 km 2) straddling the border between the United States and Canada.

Utah salt flats curvature earth