From childhood every one of us has known that Mount Everest is the highest Mountain or the Highest Peak in the World. However this is not exactly correct because the “Highest” can be different from different datum (i.e. the base surface, line, or point used as a reference in measuring elevations).
Following table will explain, how change in reference datum can change the answer to the question - Which is the World's Highest Peak?
| Name of Peak | Height above Mean Sea Level | Distance from Centre of Earth | Height from Bottom of Sea Floor |
| Mt. Everest | 8,848 m | 6,382.0 km | 8,848 m |
| Chimborazo Volcano | 6,267 m | 6,384.4 km | n/a |
| Mauna Kea | 4,207 m | n/a | 10,203 m |
1. Maximum Height Above Mean Sea level - Mount Everest
Going by the conventional datum of Mean Sea Level (MSL) - the peak of Mount Everest is highest with an elevation of 8,848 m. (Wikipedia)
Image from Flickr is by HaxHeaven
Image from Flickr is by Salva Boada
2. Maximum Distance From Earth's Core - Chimborazo Volcano, Ecuador
If Centre of Earth is used as datum then because of Earth's bulge at the Equator, the peak of volcano Chimborazo in Ecuador's measuring 6,384.4 km from the Earth's core to the peak is the farthest from the centre of Earth. (Wikipedia).
It is therefore highest point on Earth and is closest to the moon, stars, and space.
Using this datum, several other Andean peaks and also Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, lead Everest, which is about 2.1 km nearer to the Centre than Chimborazo. However MSL elevation wise Chimborazo is much lower having an elevation of only 6,267 m.
It is therefore highest point on Earth and is closest to the moon, stars, and space.
Using this datum, several other Andean peaks and also Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, lead Everest, which is about 2.1 km nearer to the Centre than Chimborazo. However MSL elevation wise Chimborazo is much lower having an elevation of only 6,267 m.
Image from Flickr is by davidagalvan
Image from Flickr is by noam_fein
3. Maximum Height From Bottom of Sea Floor - Mauna Kea, Hawai
If distance from the bottom of the nearby ocean floor to the peak is used as a datum measured then peak of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii, will be taller than Mount Everest. It has a height of 10,203 m as compared to 8,848 m of Mount Everest. Again going by the conventional MSL its elevation is only 4,207 m. (Wikipedia)
Image from Flickr is by Bret Arnett
Image from Flickr is by Gouldy99
Incidentally summit of Mauna Kea is considered to be one of the best astronomical sites in the world. For this reason many of the world's leading astronomical observatories are located near the peak - shadows of some of these can be seen the above image.
It may also be noted that in Geological terms Mount Everest is still the highest "mountain peak" because it is a 'True Mountain' formed due to collision of two tectonic plates, causing folding and uplifting of the Earth's crust while Chimborazo and Mauna Kea are volcanic peaks.
________________________________________________________________View in Google Earth - Mt. Everest - Chimborazo Volcano - Mauna Kea
View in Google Maps - Mt. Everest - Chimborazo Volcano - Mauna Kea
Main Source of info: http://geology.com and Wikipedia articles referred above.
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