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Jan 24, 2015 · What we also need to know about a point at 54 degrees latitude is that it is closer to the earth's axis than points along the equator. In fact, it's cos(54) * R from the axis, where R is the earth's radius. (This is essentially the definition of the cosine. It helps to have some familiarity with cosines, so you understand how they behave, but ...
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- Flattening The Earth
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It’s impossible to flatten the Earth without distorting it in some fashion. Consider an orange peel: if you want to try and lay it flat, you have to stretch it, squash it, and tear it. Likewise with the Earth—if we want to make a map, we need to distort the Earth’s surface to flatten it. The good news is that map projections allow us to distort sys...
We often talk about map projections in terms of the ways in which they distort or preserve certain things about the Earth, which we call projection properties. There are four main properties:
Since there are so very many projections, the question becomes: which one should you use? As you may imagine, the fact that there are so many means there is no “best” projection. Each has advantages and disadvantages and is better suited to certain situations. Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing a projection: Is there any specific...
Once you know what projection you’re going to be using, there’s one final step. As we discussed above, each projection has places where distortion is worse, and places where it is not too bad. Fortunately, we get to pick the place where distortions are minimal when we’re setting up a projection. This means we can always make sure that the subject o...
There is never a single “right answer” when choosing a map projections; the best choices depend on weighing all the factors described above. However, there are few facts and rules of thumb that can help narrow your choices. If you’re working with web maps, you will often have no choice but Mercator. Be aware that this projection is widely considere...
This is called the aspect of a map projection. The three possible apects are normal, transverse and oblique. In a normal projection, the main orientation of the projection surface is parallel to the Earth's axis (as in the figures above for the cylinder and the cone).
Jun 25, 2024 · The reason why lines of latitude are called circles is because they are formed by the rotation of a certain radius around the Earth’s axis, resulting in a circular shape. Each circle of latitude represents a specific distance from the Equator, allowing us to accurately locate points on the Earth’s surface. Latitude lines are also referred ...
While it is true you would actually walk in a curve, on a Google Map which uses what is called a Mercator projection, the line would actually be straight. This is because the projection Google uses stretches the latitude (y-axis) to make travelling in a straight line appear as a straight line on a map. Travelling in one direction on a globe.
Jun 19, 2024 · Maps – Calculating a curved line distance? Calculating a curved line distance on a map involves measuring the length of the curved line using appropriate mathematical techniques such as trigonometry or geometry. This helps determine the actual distance between two points on the map, accounting for the curvature of the Earth’s surface.
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latitude and longitude, in cartography, a coordinate system used to determine and describe the position of any place on Earth ’s surface. Latitude is a measurement of a location north or south of the Equator. In contrast, longitude is a measurement of location east or west of the prime meridian at Greenwich (an imaginary north-south line that ...
