The Tatra Mountains were photographed from this location for the first time and this is a record for the distance of observation of the Tatras from Poland. More photos and a detailed description can be found on the author’s website dalekiewidoki.pl.
The difficulty of this observation is mainly due to the required atmospheric refraction – the light has to refract through the air stronger than usual to avoid terrain obstacles. Due to the curvature of the Earth, every additional kilometre makes the Tatra Mountains increasingly hidden behind the horizon, so more and more light refraction is needed. Therefore, it will not be easy to beat this record.

According to the measurements and calculations presented at dalekiewidoki.pl the average refraction coefficient on the Godziszów – Lodowy Peak line was approx. 0.235, while the minimum at which this peak becomes visible is 0.22. Normally, it is about 0.13 – 0.14. This was possible due to the radiation inversion of temperature – at dusk, the ground cools down and the near-ground air layer reaches a lower temperature than the air above. With increasing altitude, the density of the air decreased faster, so light was refracted stronger in this layer.

The viewpoint in Godziszów is marked green on the map above, which means that the Tatras should be visible with a refraction coefficient of 0.2. However, the terrain model used in this map does not take into account the forests present in the line of sight, which additionally obstruct the view.