UpToWhereWhat can you see from Cerro Toco (Atacama)?
An Atacama peak hosting the world's driest observatories studying the cosmic microwave background.
From Cerro Toco (Atacama), the terrain-limited line of sight reaches up to 289 km. The single farthest piece of visible terrain lies 289 km to the south-southwest (bearing 211°), at 4,865 m elevation. These results account for Earth's curvature and standard atmospheric refraction, computed from 30-meter resolution Copernicus GLO-30 elevation data across 2,601,455 terrain samples.
Open the interactive visibility map →Visibility by direction
The horizon is most open toward the south-southwest, where sightlines run 191 km on average; terrain closes the view down fastest to the southeast, at 27.0 km.
| N | 45.3 km | |
| NNE | 54.3 km | |
| NE | 78.9 km | |
| ENE | 69.9 km | |
| E | 61.8 km | |
| ESE | 87.3 km | |
| SE | 27.0 km | |
| SSE | 50.0 km | |
| S | 90.9 km | |
| SSW | 191 km | |
| SW | 115 km | |
| WSW | 50.4 km | |
| W | 121 km | |
| WNW | 149 km | |
| NW | 101 km | |
| NNW | 28.1 km |
Farthest named landmarks in view
106 named peaks, hills and headlands stand inside this viewshed. These are the farthest ones you could pick out on a clear day:
| Landmark | Visible distance | Direction | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Pastos Largos | 288 km | SSW · 211° | 4,885 m |
| Cerro Alto de Varas | 244 km | SW · 215° | 4,336 m |
| Nevado de Chañi | 241 km | ESE · 121° | 5,896 m |
| Cerro Inca | 197 km | SSW · 202° | 5,620 m |
| Cerro Vetas | 194 km | SSW · 205° | 4,650 m |
| Cerro Mellado | 189 km | SSW · 195° | 5,296 m |
About Cerro Toco (Atacama)
Cerro Toco rises 5,190 metres in Chile's Atacama Desert, 40 kilometres from San Pedro de Atacama. This arid, high-altitude location makes it ideal for microwave astronomy: water vapor in the atmosphere contaminates measurements of the cosmic microwave background, so observatories cluster at extreme altitudes and in deserts. The Atacama Cosmology Telescope operated here from 2007 until 2022; the Simons Observatory and CLASS telescope now study the early universe's radiation with unprecedented precision.
Did you know?
- Located in the Atacama Desert at 5,190 metres, one of the highest and driest places on Earth.
- Vehicles can drive nearly to Cerro Toco's summit, making it one of the most accessible 5,000-metre-plus peaks on Earth — a popular day trip and acclimatization climb from San Pedro de Atacama.
- The plateau's thin, dry air is sometimes compared to conditions on Mars, and space agencies have used the site to test high-altitude equipment.
- The same high plain is also home to ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, one of the most powerful radio observatories ever built.
- Multiple observatories cluster here due to exceptional conditions: altitude, aridity, and accessibility.
Frequently asked questions
How far can you see from Cerro Toco (Atacama)?
On a clear day the terrain allows a line of sight of up to 289 km from Cerro Toco (Atacama). The average visible distance across all 360 directions is 82.5 km. Atmospheric conditions (haze, humidity) usually reduce practical visibility below the terrain-limited maximum.
What is the farthest point visible from Cerro Toco (Atacama)?
The farthest terrain visible from Cerro Toco (Atacama) lies 289 km to the south-southwest, at an elevation of 4,865 m. Earth's curvature and atmospheric refraction are accounted for in this calculation.
How high is Cerro Toco (Atacama)?
The observation point at Cerro Toco (Atacama) sits at 5,606 m above sea level (Copernicus GLO-30 elevation model).
How is this visibility map calculated?
UpToWhere traces lines of sight in 360 directions from the observer using 30 m-resolution Copernicus terrain data, correcting for Earth curvature and standard atmospheric refraction. You can run the same analysis for any point on Earth with the free calculator.
Run your own analysis
Want to know what you can see from your house, a summit you're planning to climb, or a plot of land? UpToWhere computes the same 360° viewshed for any point on Earth in seconds — free.
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