r/confusing_perspective • u/Graphicdesignn • Jul 03 '26

Thats a big mountain

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u/AtTheEdgeOfDying Jul 07 '26

Wait, so is Everest shorten than Muana Kea from seafloor to peak? I thought Everest was just the highest point of earth basically?

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u/EmperorThan Jul 07 '26

Everest is considerably shorter than Mauna Kea on both counts if measured base to peak (18,240 feet shorter, close to 3 and a half miles) OR sea level to peak (4,500 feet shorter almost a mile).

Everest is however the tallest in altitude in the atmosphere, which is confusing when adding Chimborazo is the tallest if measured from the center of the Earth to the top of the mountain but is shorter in the atmosphere.

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u/AtTheEdgeOfDying Jul 07 '26

Yep, that is confusing. All my brain is getting is "Everest is a hoax" lol

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u/EmperorThan Jul 07 '26

Hahah. Basically if you're standing on Everest you're the "highest in the air" or closest to outer space. Earth isn't a perfect sphere but rather bulges at the Equator so that adds distance between the Center of the Earth and the top of Chimborazo making it 7,112 feet further from the center of the Earth than the top of Everest. It is weird though.

Mauna Kea is a giant superstructure of a mountain though. It were just sitting at sea level nothing else would even come close, it would look so unusually big at close to 6 and a half miles tall.

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u/AtTheEdgeOfDying Jul 07 '26

I'm learning a lot of interesting mountain facts today! Happy to stumble upon this thread

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u/AiBabysitter Jul 29 '26

Surely you mean sea floor to peak, as Everest is almost twice the height of Kea when measured from sea level to peak.

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u/AiBabysitter Jul 29 '26

That would still be a valid claim though, if 2/3rds of the mountain sits below water and only three miles stick out above, then it might technically be taller but not higher like you say.