What I mean is, if you're facing due West (like on the beach or something), how many degrees of change in latitude/longitude will there be from the the most southern part of the western horizon to the most norther part of the western horizon?
How many degrees is the western horizon?
Standing on a beach looking due West you would be able to see from horizon to horizon which would be less that one degree in latitude because the size of 1 degree of latitude is 69 miles and you wouls not be able (on a totally flat spot) be able to see that far to your left and right of which the horizon makes up everything in between. I would estimate that you would be able to see 1/2 a degree of latitude and this is partly due to the curvature of the Earth.
How many degrees is the western horizon?
If you face directly west, then south is directly to your left, and north is directly to your right. There are 180 angular degrees of horizon from the point straight south of you to the point straight north of you. I am not sure what you mean by %26quot;most southern part of the western horizon%26quot; and %26quot;most northern part of the western horizon%26quot;, but if you are thinking about dividing the entire 360 degree horizon into a west half and an east half, then there would be 180 degrees of western horizon. Latitude and longitude have nothing to do with the answer to this question; they refer to your position on the earth.
You're not seeing very far at all. The Earth curves away so much a person standing at sea level sees little.
Rather than a Pacific beach, try on a open flat-land place. Start at a structure of some kind, and see how far you go until you can not see it.
Thinking of the Jersey Shore I'd say I can see about 15 miles up or down the coast; which I guess-timate is 12'. A degree of longitude is 60'. So I can see 1/5 of a longitude.
A latitude degree is less distance. Which is why a USGS topo map is not square, though it's 7'5%26quot;x7'5%26quot;.
In Maine's Acadia National Park, one favorite activity is to be atop of Cadillac Mountain (1,528 feet (470 m)), to be the first in North America to see the day's sunrise. From the mountaintop a person can see much farther than down at sea level.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3219434
So the higher you get, airplane, space satellite, you'll see farther.
