You’ve got a list of geocoded data points, but due to error or omission, one of them has nothing set as its location. It may still show up on a map.

Think of the Gulf of Guinea, part of the South Atlantic Ocean, as Africa’s armpit. It’s the body of water just off the coast of where West Africa bends south to become Central Africa.

It is the meeting point of the two baselines of geodetic measurement, the prime meridian and the equator. Or, expressed in longitude and latitude: 0°N, 0°E.

But don’t go rent a boat on the coast of Ghana or the island of São Tomé, two of the nearest bits of dry land. After crossing about 400 miles (650 km) of open water, you will find more of the same upon arrival.

Null Island is merely the colloquial name for the intersection of these two prime orthodromes. In mathematics, and by extension also in geodesy, an orthodrome (or great circle) is the longest possible line drawn around a sphere, thus dividing it into two perfectly equal halves, or hemispheres.

The Greenwich meridian, which divides the world in eastern and western hemispheres, is a more arbitrary line. Its status as the world’s prime meridian was established only in 1884, at the International Meridian Conference in Washington D.C.

they had campaigned for the Paris meridian. So 1884 is year zero for our point at zero north, zero east.

That naming started off a remarkable process: it turned something non-existent into something imaginary, which is not quite the same. Suddenly, maps were drawn of Null Island, flags designed, fake backstories conjured up.

A small, tropical purgatory, far away from anywhere that matters, home to uncountable damaged and incomplete data points, stranded until they are fixed or erased. The weather is always humid, and there’s never a ship on the horizon.

The idea almost makes you wish that Null Island was real. But wait, there actually is something other than nothing at Null Island.

One of these is moored to the seabed (about 16,000 ft or 5 km deep) at exactly 0°N, 0°E. This is station 13010 — also known as “Soul Buoy” — measuring air and water temperature, wind speed and direction, and other variables at zero zero point.

It would appear that, as non-existent places go, Null Island is more solid than most. For another example of non-existent places acquiring solidity, check Strange Maps #643 on the curious case of Agloe, New York.

Don’t confuse Null Island with Nemo Point, another “vanishing point” on the high seas. More in Strange Maps #802.

Got a strange map. Let me know at [email protected].

Null Island is the location at zero degrees latitude and zero degrees longitude (0°N 0°E / 0°N 0°E / 0. 0), i.e., where the prime meridian and the equator intersect.

Although “Null Island” started as a joke within the geospatial community, it has become a useful means of addressing a recurring issue in geographic information science.

A weather buoy, named the Soul buoy after the soul music genre, is permanently moored at the location.

307.8 nmi) to the north (4°45′30″N 1°58′33″W / 4.75833°N 1.97583°W / 4.75833. -1.97583) that is part of Ghana.

The depth of the seabed beneath the Soul buoy is around 4,940 metres (16,210 ft).

2010–2011, after which the term came into wide use (although there is evidence of it being used previously). Since then, the “island” has, through fiction, been given a geography, history, and flag.

The name “Null” refers to the two zero coordinates, as null values (indicating an absence of data) are often coerced to a value of 0 when converted to an integer context or “no-nulls allowed” context.

Such errors arise, for example, where an image artifact is erroneously associated to the location by software which cannot attribute a geoposition, and instead associates a latitude and longitude of “Null,Null” or “0,0”.

The buoy (“Station 13010 – Soul”) is part of the PIRATA system, a set of 17 buoys installed in the tropical Atlantic Ocean since 1997 by the United States, France, and Brazil. Like the other buoys in the system, it is named after a musical genre.

It is anchored by a cable to the seabed. It measures the following:.

In geography and geodesy, a meridian is the locus connecting points of equal longitude, which is the angle (in degrees or other units) east or west of a given prime meridian (currently, the IERS Reference Meridian). In other words, it is a line of longitude.

On a Mercator projection or on a Gall-Peters projection, each meridian is perpendicular to all circles of latitude. A meridian is half of a great circle on Earth’s surface.

The first prime meridian was set by Eratosthenes in 200 BCE. This prime meridian was used to provide measurement of the earth, but had many problems because of the lack of latitude measurement.

Multiple locations for the geographical meridian meant that there was inconsistency, because each country had their own guidelines for where the prime meridian was located.

the subsolar point passes through a given meridian at solar noon, midway between the times of sunrise and sunset on that meridian. Likewise, the Sun crosses the celestial meridian at the same time.

(ante meridiem) and p.m. (post meridiem) used to disambiguate hours of the day when utilizing the 12-hour clock.

Because of a growing international economy, there was a demand for a set international prime meridian to make it easier for worldwide traveling which would, in turn, enhance international trading across countries. As a result, a Conference was held in 1884, in Washington, D.C.

Ultimately the outcome was as follows: there would be only one prime meridian, the prime meridian was to cross and pass at Greenwich (which was the 0°), there would be two longitude direction up to 180° (east being plus and west being minus), there will be a universal day, and the day begins at the mean midnight of the initial meridian.

There were two main reasons for this. The first was that the USA had already chosen Greenwich as the basis for its own national time zone system.

The recommendation was based on the argument that naming Greenwich as Longitude 0º would be of advantage to the largest number of people.

These two locations often conflicted and a settlement was reached only after there was an International Meridian Conference held, in which Greenwich was recognized as the 0° location.

As there are 360 degrees in a circle, the meridian on the opposite side of the Earth from Greenwich, the antimeridian, forms the other half of a circle with the one through Greenwich, and is at 180° longitude near the International Date Line (with land mass and island deviations for boundary reasons).

[unreliable source. ] Most maps show the lines of longitude.

The position of the prime meridian has changed a few times throughout history, mainly due to the transit observatory being built next door to the previous one (to maintain the service to shipping). Such changes had no significant practical effect.

The adoption of World Geodetic System 84″ (WGS84) as the positioning system has moved the geodetic prime meridian 102.478 metres east of its last astronomic position (measured at Greenwich). The position of the current geodetic prime meridian is not identified at all by any kind of sign or marking at Greenwich (as the older astronomic position was), but can be located using a GPS receiver.

It was in the best interests of the nations to agree to one standard meridian to benefit their fast growing economy and production. The disorganized system they had before was not sufficient for their increasing mobility.

With a standard meridian, stage coach and trains were able to be more efficient. The argument of which meridian is more scientific was set aside in order to find the most convenient for practical reasons.

They agreed that the days would begin at midnight and the universal day would not impact the use of local time. A report was submitted to the “Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada”, dated 10 May 1894.

which stated that:. The magnetic meridian is an equivalent imaginary line connecting the magnetic south and north poles and can be taken as the horizontal component of magnetic force lines along the surface of the Earth.

However, a compass needle will not be steady in the magnetic meridian, because of the longitude from east to west being complete geodesic. The angle between the magnetic and the true meridian is the magnetic declination, which is relevant for navigating with a compass.

The true meridian is the chord that goes from one pole to the other, passing through the observer, and is contrasted with the magnetic meridian, which goes through the magnetic poles and the observer. The true meridian can be found by careful astronomical observations, and the magnetic meridian is simply parallel to the compass needle.

Henry D. Thoreau classified this true meridian versus the magnetic meridian in order to have a more qualitative, intuitive, and abstract function.

There were some variations. When he noted the sight line for the True Meridian from his family’s house to the depot, he could check the declination of his compass before and after surveying throughout the day.

The meridian passage is the moment when a celestial object passes the meridian of longitude of the observer. At this point, the celestial object is at its highest point.

Navigators utilized the Sun’s declination and the Sun’s altitude at local meridian passage, in order to calculate their latitude with the formula.

The declination of major stars are their angles north and south from the celestial equator. It is important to note that the meridian passage will not occur exactly at 12 hours because of the inclination of the Earth.

[self-published source. ].

For instance, the 30th meridian east (UTC+02:00) is the standard meridian for Eastern European Time. Since the adoption of time zones – as opposed to local mean time or solar time – in the late 19th century and early 20th century, most countries have adopted the standard time of one of the 24 meridians closest to their geographical position, as decided by the International Meridian Conference in 1884.

Many of these instruments rely on the ability to measure the longitude and latitude of the Earth. These instruments also were typically affected by local gravity, which paired well with existing technologies such as the magnetic meridian.

Technically speaking, there are different kinds of latitude—geocentric, astronomical, and geographic (or geodetic)—but there are only minor differences between them. In most common references, geocentric latitude is implied.

Thus, a point at 30°15′20″ N is the arc that results from an angle of 30°15′20″ at the center of the globe. Astronomical latitude is the angle created by the equatorial plane and a line created by the direction of gravity (that is, the plumb line) occurring at a given point on Earth’s surface.

Because Earth is not a perfect sphere—the planet’s curvature is flatter at the poles—geographic latitude is the arc resulting from an angle created by the equatorial plane and the normal line that can be drawn from a given point on Earth’s surface to Earth’s center.

Geographic latitude is also given in degrees, minutes, and seconds. In contrast, longitude is the amount of arc created by drawing first a line from Earth’s center to the intersection of the Equator and the prime meridian and then another line drawn from Earth’s center to any point elsewhere along the Equator.

The distance per degree of longitude at the Equator is about 111.32 km (69.17 miles) and at the poles, 0.

Lines of longitude, also called meridians, are imaginary lines that divide the Earth. They run north to south from pole to pole, but they measure the distance east or west.

Although latitude lines are always equally spaced, longitude lines are furthest from each other at the equator and meet at the poles. A transcript is available that describes this infographic content in plain text.

Unlike the equator (which is halfway between the Earth’s north and south poles), the prime meridian is an arbitrary line. In 1884, representatives at the International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C., met to define the meridian that would represent 0 degrees longitude.

At the time, many nautical charts and time zones already used Greenwich as the starting point, so keeping this location made sense. But, if you go to Greenwich with your GPS receiver, you’ll need to walk 102 meters (334 feet) east of the prime meridian markers before your GPS shows 0 degrees longitude.

Satellite technology, however, allows scientists to more precisely plot meridians so that they are straight lines running north and south, unaffected by local gravity changes. In the 1980s, the International Reference Meridian (IRM) was established as the precise location of 0 degrees longitude.

Lines of longitude, also called meridians, are imaginary lines that divide the Earth. They run north to south from pole to pole, but they measure the distance east or west.

It divides the Earth into the eastern and western hemispheres. The antimeridian is on the opposite side of the Earth, at 180 degrees longitude.

The international date line zigzags around borders near the antimeridian. Like latitude, longitude is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

At the equator, longitude lines are the same distance apart as latitude lines — one degree covers about 111 kilometers (69 miles). But, by 60 degrees north or south, that distance is down to 56 kilometers (35 miles).

Navigators and mariners have been able to measure latitude with basic tools for thousands of years. Longitude, however, required more advanced tools and calculations.

A navigator would compare the time at local noon (when the sun is at its highest point in the sky) to an onboard clock that was set to Greenwich Mean Time (the time at the prime meridian). Each hour of difference between local noon and the time in Greenwich equals 15 degrees of longitude.

Because the Earth rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours, or 15 degrees per hour. If the sun’s position tells the navigator it’s local noon, and the clock says back in Greenwich, England, it’s 2 p.m., the two-hour difference means the ship’s longitude is 30 degrees west.

It wasn’t until marine chronometers were invented in the 18th century that longitude could be accurately measured at sea. Accurate clocks are still critical to determining longitude, but now they’re found in GPS satellites and stations.

The satellites broadcast radio signals with precise timestamps. The radio signals travel at a constant speed (the speed of light), so we can easily calculate the distance between a satellite and GPS receiver if we know precisely how long it took for the signal to travel between them.

These CORS continuously receive GPS radio signals and incorporate that data into the National Spatial Reference System. The GPS position on a smartphone is accurate to within about 5 meters (16 feet), but processed CORS data can provide longitude accurate to within a few centimeters, along with latitude and height positions.

Global Positioning. National Spatial Reference System.

Author: NOAA. How to cite this article.

On the attached map:. 1.

Locate and record the approximate latitude and longitude of points A-G in the table below.

Locations on the surface of the Earth are mapped according to a coordinate system known as latitude and longitude. Latitude refers to parallel horizontal (east-west) lines that indicate how far north or south a location is relative to the Equator, the line that divides the Earth into northern and southern hemispheres.

Both latitude and longitude lines are given in units of degrees, minutes, and seconds as well as their east or west or north or south positions relative to the reference lines. Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer.

1) The location of the Equator and the Prime Meridian can be seen below:.

The.. See full answer below.

1 The Global Grid. 2 The global grid makes it possible to state the “absolute location” of a place – exactly where it is.

3 Absolute location – longitude & latitude – is like a global address.

5 Washington, DC: 38°N 77W°. 6 Seattle, Washington: 47°N 122W°.

8 Oklahoma City: 35°N 97W°. 9 The absolute location of any place is the latitude + the longitude.

10 LATITUDE. 11 LAT ITUDE lines are the FLAT lines.

12 LATITUDE lines also get shorter as you get closer to the North Pole or the South Pole.

14 Think of latitude like the rungs of a ladder. ( Lad der sounds a lot like lat itude).

15 Anywhere you are on the 30°N line, you are 30° north of the Equator.

17 LATITUDE. 18.

21 and in Brazil . 22 Macapá, Brazil.

24 in Uganda . 25 and in Kenya.

27 in Indonesia . 28 .

30 So remember to think of lat itude like the rungs of a lad der. .

32 up or down the globe (north or south). So latitude is all about how far you are from the Equator –.

34 LONGITUDE. 35 Long itude lines are always long.

36 Lines of longitude get closer together as they move away from the Equator & to the poles.

38 Longitude lines tell us how far east or west we are from the Prime Meridian.

40 Anywhere you are on the 30°W line, you are 30° west of the Prime Meridian.

But who decided where to put the Prime Meridian.

Graphicmaps.com. 43 Portugal owned the Madeira Islands, so they thought it was a good idea to use THEIR land for the Prime Meridian location.

So, of course, it makes perfect sense that we would put the Prime Meridian through OUR land. WE are the center of the world.

44 This Prime Meridian was used by most mapmakers for the next 300 years.

Graphicmaps.com. 46 NOW look who’s in charge of the Atlantic.

47 In 1884, 25 countries reached agreement at a conference in Washington D.C. that the location in Greenwich, England, would be the “Prime Meridian” – zero degrees.

48 the Prime Meridian Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England. 49.

51 in Spain. 52.

54 So remember that longitude lines tell us how far east or west we are from the Prime Meridian.

56 0° 0°.

1 Latitude / Longitude: A World Map ActivityCreated by Mr. Stephenson.

For example, what is: The Equator. The Prime Meridian.

A Hemisphere.

4 More about the Equator The Equator is equally far away from the North Pole as it is from the South Pole. The Equator is an imaginary line that we can not see, but we know that it is there.

5 The Prime Meridian The Prime Meridian separates, or divides, the world into an eastern half and western half.

Then what is on the other side of the earth—halfway around the world from the Prime Meridian.

Half of 360 is 180 so what is halfway around the world from the Prime Meridian is the 180° Meridian.

Some people think that it is the International Date Line and that is NOT actually true. What is the International Date Line (or IDL).

If you are west of the IDL, then it is tomorrow. If you are east of the IDL, then it is today.

9 International Date LineMore on the IDL… The IDL is close to the 180° Meridian and even uses the 180° Meridian at times, but some places near the 180° Meridian decided that they wanted to be on the other side of the IDL. So now the IDL is NOT a straight line and does NOT exactly match the 180° Meridian.

The 180° Meridian International Date Line. 10 Hemispheres What is special about the Equator, Prime Meridian, and the 180° Meridian is that those imaginary lines divide the world into halves called hemispheres.

Hemi- means half Sphere means ball So a hemisphere means half of a ball In the case of World Geo, hemisphere means half of the Earth. 11 The Four Hemispheres If hemisphere means half of the Earth, then why are there four (4.

Simple: There are northern, southern, eastern, and western hemispheres. That is four of them.

12 The Hemispheres of each placeEvery location on earth belongs to two of the four hemispheres. For example, St.

13 Another way to look at Hemispheres. 14 What is Latitude / Longitude.

15 What is Latitude. Latitude measures distance NORTH or SOUTH from the Equator.

16 Latitude. 17 What is Longitude.

18 Longitude. 19 Coordinates for every location.

For every set of latitude / longitude coordinates, there is only one place on the Earth. For example, St.

20 Where do the Equator and the Prime Meridian cross. The Equator and Prime Meridian cross just west of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean.

21 Finding St. Louis on a MapFinding St.

22 Remember Math Class. Remember doing “Coordinate Graphing” in Math class.

Answer: 2 spaces over on the x axis, and 5 spaces up on the y axis.

I will give you several sets of coordinates and you will tell me which city is located at those coordinates. I will also give you several cities to find and you will need to tell me what the latitude/longitude coordinates are for those cities.

24 How to do that… Go either up or down from the Equator when using the latitude (North or South) coordinate. Go either left or right of the Prime Meridian (center line of the map) when using the longitude (East or West) coordinate.

25 Ready to go. Almost… Use the map provided in class to find all of the cities.

The other cities will be located in the United States so you may use the “United States” side of the map to find those cities. OKAY, NOW GO FIND THOSE CITIES.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN.

Using the attached map: 1.

Plot the points in the table below on the world map, labeling each point with the associated letter.

Geographic locations on the surface of the Earth are mapped using lines of latitude and longitude. Latitude and longitude are measured in units of degrees, minutes, and seconds and are relative to either the Equator (latitude) or Prime Meridian (longitude) reference lines.

Longitude lines run north-south and are closer together at the poles than around the Equator. Longitude lines indicate the location of a point in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.

Create your account. 1.

It is a horizontal line of latitude located at 0°. The Prime..

The International Date Line zigzags through the Pacific Ocean at around 180° longitude. ©timeanddate.com.

It is halfway around the world from the prime meridian (0° longitude), the reference point of time zones, which runs through Greenwich, UK. The date line runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and marks the Western and Eastern Hemisphere divide.

For example, it leans towards the east at the Bering Strait between Asia and North America, leaving Cape Dezhnev in Russia a day ahead of Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska even though they are only 80 km (50 mi) apart. The Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

For example, Kiribati and Hawaii are on different sides of the date line. If you traveled from Kiribati’s capital Tarawa to Hawaii’s state capital Honolulu, you would have to turn the clock back 22 hours, effectively traveling back in time, at least on the calendar.

Depending on which time zone the country follows, the time difference on either side of the line is not always 24 hours. For example, if you travel the 1061 km (659 mi) across the date line from Baker Island to Tokelau, you must add 25 hours, or 1 day and 1 hour.

For example, May 2 at 10:30 UTC, is 23:30 (11:30 pm) on May 1 in American Samoa (UTC−11), 06:30 (6:30 am) on May 2 in New York (UTC-4), and 00:30 (12:30 am) on May 3 in Kiritimati (UTC+14). See it for yourself in our Time Zone Converter.

In 1994, the Republic of Kiribati aligned the country’s time zones by skipping January 1, 1995 in the portion of the country that was east of the date line. By adding 24 hours to the the clocks in the Phoenix and Line Islands, they put a dent in the date line, moving it all the way to the 150° east longitude.

They did this to facilitate trade with Australia and New Zealand, and Tokelau followed Samoa for the same reasons. The International Date Line is de facto, which means that it is not based on international law and should not be confused with the Nautical Date Line, which follows the 180° meridian from the North to the South Pole.

The 180° meridian was selected as the basis for the International Date Line because it mostly runs through the sparsely populated Central Pacific Ocean. This was decided at the International Meridian Conference in 1884 in Washington, D.C.

Latitudes and Longitudes are angular measurements that give a location on the earth’s surface a unique geographical identification. Latitudes are the progressive angular measurements north or south of the equator are the imaginary lines running from east to west on the Earth’s surface.

Latitudes are parallel while Longitudes are convergent. This positioning method comprises of a coordinate system in degrees (°) with the Equator and Prime Meridian being the lines that denote 0°.

Likewise, the furthest point eastwards from the Prime Meridian is expressed as 180°E and the furthest point westward is expressed as 180°W.

The reference plane for all Circles of Latitude is the Equatorial Circle of Latitude that bisects the Earth. All Circles of Latitude are parallel to the Equator and perpendicular to all Longitudes at the intersection points.

Unlike latitudes that have the Equator as the central Latitude, the Prime Meridian has been set as the reference point of meridians over the course of history. Circles of Latitude are called parallels while half of a longitudinal circle is called a Meridian.

There are five main parallels that are useful to explain the correlation between the Earth, the Sun, and climate. As such, these five main parallels also mark the five geographical zones.

• Arctic Circle: Is the boundary of the North Frigid Zone to the north.

• The Equator: Divides the earth in North and Southern Hemispheres. The are around the Equator is referred to as the Tropics and is limited northward by the Tropic of Cancer and southward by the Tropic of Capricorn.

• Tropic of Capricorn: Encloses the South Temperate Zone with the Antarctic Circle.

The Arctic Circle parallel that is currently positioned at 66° 33’ 46” in the Northern Hemisphere ( or 66.5628°). The position of the Arctic Circle fluctuates by about 49 ft each year due to the Earth’s axial tilt that is determined by tidal forces resulting from the pull of the moon on the Earth’s waters.

The region north of the Arctic Circle called the North Frigid Zone is characterized by extremely cold temperatures and ice. During the winter, the region experiences 24 hours of darkness in a day and 24 hours of sunlight in a day during the summers.

This parallel of latitude is currently at 66° 33′ 46″ south of the Equator (or -66.5628°). Like the Arctic, the position of the Antarctic Circles is not fixed, as their exact location depends on the Earth’s axial tilt, which fluctuates within a margin of 2° over a 40,000 year period, mainly due to tidal forces resulting from the orbit of the Moon.

Tropic of Cancer is a Circle of Latitude currently positioned at 23°26’14” north of the Equator (or 23.4372°). Another reference for the Tropic of Cancer is the Northern Tropic.

This event happens in the month of June.

The Southern Tropic is another reference for the Tropic of Capricorn. The Tropic of Capricorn is the parallel at which the Winter (or Southern or December) Solstice occurs when once a year the sun appears directly overhead the most southerly parallel.

These two parallels enclose the area of the Earth known as The Tropics characterized by warm to hot weather and lush vegetation. Similar to the Arctic Circle, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn also fluctuate depending on the Earth’s axial tilt.

The Equator is the parallel line located at 0°00’00”. It is identified as the latitude that falls at the point that is equidistant from the North Pole and the South Pole.

The sun is perpendicular to the Equator twice a year in March and September. This event is called the Equinox.

Likewise, the Equator fluctuates and is identified as the plane that is perpendicular to the Earth’s rotational axis.

It is the longitudinal meridian of reference. Unlike the Equator’s position that is determined by the Earth’s rotational axis, the position of the Prime Meridian has been defined arbitrarily over the years as Greenwich in the United Kingdom.

Longitudes and latitudes form Earth’s geographical coordinates. © timeanddate.com.

Both latitudes and longitudes are measured in degrees (°) and minutes (′). Astronomical terms & definitions.

Scientists call this shape a spheroid or ellipsoid. If we draw a line passing through the center of the Earth along its rotational axis, the line would pass through the North and the South Pole.

It is equidistant from the North and South Poles, and divides the globe into the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. Most locations on the equator experience consistently high temperatures throughout the year.

On the equinoxes—September and March—the Sun is directly overhead the equator, resulting in almost exactly 12 hour days and 12 hour nights. What is the equilux.

Why do seasons occur.

Often called parallels or circles of latitude, latitudes are imaginary circles parallel to the equator. On a map where north is up, latitudes run laterally (left to right).

Latitudes specify the north-south position of a location on the globe. Locations in the Northern Hemisphere are identified by northern latitudes and are assigned a suffix of N for north.

Find celestial objects in the sky. The major latitudes and longitudes.

The equator represents 0° latitude, while the North and South Poles represent 90° North and 90° South latitudes. In addition to the equator, there are four other major latitudes that are usually found on maps and globes.

The Arctic Circle is the latitude 66° 34′ North. All locations falling north of this latitude are said to be in the Arctic Circle.

It marks the northern-most position on the Earth, where the Sun is directly overhead at least once a year. This happens during the June Solstice, when the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun.

It is the southern-most position on the globe, where the Sun is directly overhead during the December Solstice. Sometimes, latitudes north of the equator are denoted by a positive sign.

This eliminates the need to add whether the specified latitude is north or south of the equator. Longitudes are geographical positioning markers that run from the geographical North Pole to the geographical South Pole, intersecting the equator.

On a map where north is up, longitudes run vertically. Longitudes are, therefore, imaginary circles that intersect the North and South Poles and the equator.

Meridians are perpendicular to every latitude. Unlike, latitudes, there is no obvious central longitude.

Today, the meridian line through Greenwich, England, is considered as the reference point for longitudes. This line is also known as the Prime Meridian.

All the other longitudes are measured and named after the angle they make with respect to the center of the Earth from the intersection of the meridian and the equator. Since a sphere has 360 degrees, the Earth is divided into 360 longitudes.

Modern timekeeping systems use longitudes as references to keep time. Time zones are defined by the Prime Meridian and the longitudes.

A Great Circle is any circle that is formed by a plane that passes through the center of the Earth. The equator and the circles created by the meridians form Great Circles.

Because of this, Great Circles are important for the study of migration and other human interactions and activities, including shipping and airline routes. Topics: Time Zone, Earth, Geography.

The world is divided into four hemispheres based on lines of latitude and longitude.

This line falls at zero degrees latitude.

The part of the Earth that is south of the equator is known as the Southern Hemisphere. The Western and Eastern Hemisphere are divided by zero degrees longitude which is known as the Prime Meridian.

The Western Hemisphere occupies the geographic space west of the prime meridian and east of the antemeridian which lies at 180 degrees longitude.

While several of the world’s continents are traversed by the separation between two hemispheres, there is only one continent in the world that lies in all four hemispheres: Africa.

These two maps show how the continent of Africa lies in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. How many African countries does the Equator pass through.

The Equator passed through a total of seven countries in Africa. Starting from the west to east these countries are: the island country of São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia.

How many African countries does the Prime Meridian pass through.

Starting from north to south, these countries are: Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tongo, and Ghana.

LATITUDELatitude is the distance of a point on the earth’s surface measured in degrees north or south of the equator.Lines of latitude are drawn parallel to the equator. On a globe they are parallel circles, hence they are also called Parallels of latitude.

The Equator is the only line of latitude that is a great circle. It divides the earth into two halves.

The average distance between each parallel is 111km or 69 miles. ( circumference of the earth divided by the number of degrees in a circle – 40,075 km.

Zero degrees is the equator, the imaginary line which divides our planet into the northern and southern hemispheres. The equator is the only line of latitude that is a great circle.

All together there are 180 lines of latitude.Of the 180 lines of latitude 7 of them have names. Along with the equator (0 degree) they are the:(a) Arctic Circle (66 1/2 degree N)(b) Antarctic Circle (66 1/2 degree S)(c) Tropic of Cancer (23 1/2 degree N)(d) Tropic of Capricorn (23 1/2 degree S)(e) North Pole (90 degree N)(f) South Pole (90 degree S).

Lines of longitude run from the North Pole to the South Pole. On a globe longitude lines are shown as a series of semi-circle that run from pole to pole.

Each is also a great circle. (great circle cut the earth into equal halves) The prime meridian was officially established as zero degrees longitude at an international conference in 1884.

The establishment of the prime meridian in Greenwich in 1884 permanently established the system of latitude and longitude and time zones that we use to this day. There are 360 lines of longitude.

The 180 degree line of longitude marks the International Date Line. The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, established by the International Date Line of 1884, that runs from the north to the south pole and separates one calendar day from the next.

The average distance between each meridian at the equator is 111km or 69 miles. ( circumference of the earth divided by the number of degrees in a circle – 40,075 km.

The distance between each meridians get smaller as they approach the poles. Of the 360 lines of latitude only two have names.

1 Latitude and Longitude. 2 Latitude- the distance in degrees north or south of the equator The latitude of the equator is 0° (degrees)  What is latitude.

3 The equator is a line of latitude dividing the earth into the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere Equator . 4 How is latitude measured.

Locations above the equator are measured in degrees north (N), and below the equator in degrees south (S). 5 Why are latitude lines also called parallels.

6 What is longitude. Longitude- points west of the prime meridian are numbered from 0° to 180° degrees west (W), and points east of the prime meridian are 0° to 180° degrees east (E).

7 The prime meridian represents 0° longitude, and it runs through the continents of Europe and Africa Where is the prime meridian.

and going east, lose a day. 9 To locate a specific place on the map: Start at 0°, 0°.

10 Locating Places with Coordinates The coordinates for New Orleans are 29°N, 90°W. Start at 0°, 0°.

11 Is it NW or WN. Is it NE or EN.

Is it SE or ES. Which comes first latitude, or, longitude.

12 Is it NW or WN. Is it NE or EN.

Is it SE or ES. Which comes first latitude, or, longitude.

13 Definitions Practice 1.Match the following terms with their definitions. ___ latitude ___ longitude ___ prime meridian ___ equator A.the reference point for longitude B.the distance in degrees east or west of 0° C.the reference point for latitude D.the distance in degrees north or south of 0° D B A C.

REMEMBER… for Question 2 you are locating the cities and labeling them on the map provided on the very back page of the handout.

If you take a look at a map or globe of the world, you may notice lines running east-west and north-south. These lines, known as longitude and latitude are essential concepts in geography and navigation.

The lines running north to south are known as lines of longitude. (Related: How to Remember the Difference Between Latitude and Longitude).

Lines of latitude start at 0 degrees at the equator and end at 90 degrees at the North and South Poles (for a total to 180 degrees of latitude). Therefore, the higher the value of degree of latitude, the closer it is to the North or South Pole.

Everything north of the equator is known as the Northern Hemisphere and everything south of the equator is known as the Southern Hemisphere.

A positive latitude value indicates a location in the Northern Hemisphere, while a negative value indicates a location in the Southern Hemisphere. Lines of latitude are called parallels and in total there are 180 degrees of latitude.

(Watch this video on YouTube: Latitude and Longitude). A parallel is a named line connecting all points along the same line of latitude.

For example, the 49th parallel marked part of the border between Canada and the U.S. that was negotiated by the United States and Britain as part of the Treaty of 1818:

The five major parallels of latitudes from north to south are called: Arctic Circle, Tropic of Cancer, Equator, Tropic of Capricorn, and the Antarctic Circle. On a map where the orientation of the map is either due north or due south, latitude appears as horizontal lines.

Latitude represents an angular distance north or south of the equator. The equator marks the locations on earth that are equidistance from the North and South Poles.

Related: What is at Zero Degrees Latitude and Zero Degrees Longitude.

Here’s an interesting fact: the original definition of the length of a meter in 1793 was: one ten-millionth (10⁻⁷) of the distance between the equator and the North Pole along a great circle.

(Source: Agnoli, P., & D’Agostini, G. (2004).

arXiv preprint physics/0412078. arXiv:physics/0412078).

The exact latitude is not a fixed point and the latest measurement for 2014 is 23° 26′ 14.675″ (23° 26′ 16″).

Moving every year, the Tropic of Capricorn is the parallel line of latitude that is currently located at 23° 26′ 14.440″.

The Arctic and Antarctic Circles are the parallels of latitude that are roughly 66.5 degrees (66° 33′ 44″ (or 66.5622°).

The region south of the Antarctic Circle, which includes the South Pole, is known as the Antarctic. The Horse Latitudes are found at about 30 degrees North and South of the equator.

Horse latitudes represents areas in the subtopics where prevailing winds diverge and flow towards the poles (known as westerlies) or towards the Equator (known as trade winds).

These areas are known for their clear skies and low precipitation, which contributes to the formation of deserts at these latitudes, such as the Sahara Desert in Africa and the Mojave Desert in North America. Legend has it that the calm winds would stall sailing ships at these latitudes for days or even weeks.

This is the suggested origin of the phrase “horse latitudes”.

Therefore, latitude is the angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, which passes through Greenwich, England.

All lines of longitude are equal in length. Each line of longitude also is one half of a great circle.

Unlike lines of latitude, which run parallel to the equator, lines of longitude (meridians) converge at the poles. This means that the distance between lines of longitude decreases as you move towards the poles, making them closer together than they are at the equator.

The longitude line of 0 degrees is known as the Prime Meridian and it divides the world into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. A location’s longitude is expressed in degrees (°), minutes (‘), and seconds (“).

While lines of latitude are known as parallels, lines of longitude are known as meridians.

The distance between longitudes narrows the further away from the equator. As you move toward the poles, the distance between each line of longitude becomes smaller until the converge at the North and South Poles.

The distance between longitudes at the equator is the same as latitude, roughly 69 miles. At 45 degrees north or south, the distance between is about 49 miles (79 km).

The distance between longitudes reaches zero at the poles as the lines of meridian converge at that point. Determining longitude accurately is crucial for navigation, particularly at sea.

Before the development of accurate methods for measuring longitude, navigation, especially at sea, was an uncertain and perilous endeavor. Sailors could calculate latitude reasonably accurately by observing the sun or stars.

One degree of longitude corresponds to a specific distance on Earth’s surface, but unlike latitude, the exact distance varies depending on where it is measured. At the equator, where the Earth is widest, one degree of longitude is approximately 69.172 miles (111.321 kilometers).

Historically, accurate timekeeping was the key to measuring longitude, as the difference in time between a known location (usually the Prime Meridian) and the local time at an unknown location could be used to calculate the east-west distance between the two points.

Unfortunately, maintaining an accurate time for the home port was more challenging. Pendulum clocks onboard ships either ran too quickly, too slow, or not at all.

In 1714, the British government established the Longitude Prize, which awarded £20,000 to anyone who could develop a practical method for accurately determining a ship’s longitude.

Harrison provided the first reliable watch that could maintain accurate time on long sea voyages. One of his prototype watches, called the H5, was tested by King George III and was determined to be accurate to within one third of one second per day.

The 300-year-old archive of the Board of Longitude has been scanned and made available to the public via the Cambridge Digital Library. More than 65,000 images have been scanned with the help of a £1.5m gift from the Polonsky Foundation.

1 0 0 latitude – Equator 0 longitude – Prime Meridian (has no affect on climate). 2 Rotation The spinning of the earth on its axis Takes 24 hoursCreates night & day.

4 Polar Night When the polar region is tilted away from the sun – the polar area receives 24 hours of darkness. When it is pointed toward the sun the area receives 24 hours of daylight.

5 EQUINOX Direct rays of the sun are located on the EQUATORDays and nights are equal in length Spring (Vernal) and Fall (Autumnal) When it is Spring in the northern hemisphere it is Fall in the southern hemisphere (the opposite is also true).

8 Arctic Circle – 66.5 N Antarctic Circle – 66.5 S North Pole – 90 NSouth Pole – 90 S. 9 Red – LOW LATITUDES 0 – 23 ½  North & South Tropics Hot and Humid Green – MID LATITUDES 23 ½ – 66 ½  North & South Temperate Mild THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD’S PEOPLE LIVE IN THE TEMPERATE ZONE.

Blue – HIGH LATITUDES 66 ½ – 90 North & South Polar Cold and Dry. 10 FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE (LACEMOPS).

Precipitation has 4 forms: rain, snow, sleet, and hail. Climate – Average weather.

12 High Mid Low High L – LATITUDE The most important factor. The farther from the Equator – the colder and drier it becomes.

Areas not in the tropics receive indirect sun rays. High Mid Low High.

14 A – AIR MASSES In the Northern Hemisphere, cold air from the Polar Regions comes from the north. Hot air from the tropics comes from the south, (opposite in the Southern Hemisphere).

15 C – CONTINENTALITY Water moderates climate. Water takes longer to heat and cool than land.

16 E – ELEVATION It gets colder as you go up a mountainE – ELEVATION It gets colder as you go up a mountain. The formula for vertical climate is: Temperature decreases 3.5º F for every 1,000 feet increase in elevation (the opposite is also true).

17 It is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft. tall mountainIt is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft.

What is the temperature on top of the mountain. First, count the thousands… (15,000) Second, multiply that number by 3.5… 3.5° (from formula) X 15 (how many thousands of feet the mountain is tall) 52.5° (how much colder at the top than the bottom) Third, Subtract that number from the temperature at the base to get the answer… 75° (temperature at bottom) – 52.5° (how much colder at the top) 22.5 ° (temperature at the top)  Answer.

The moisture full clouds are too heavy to make it over the mountain so precipitation occurs, after the precipitation, the clouds have no moisture and are able to rise over the mountain. The side facing away from the wind is called the leeward side.

The windward side has lush vegetation. The leeward side of a mountain is in the rain shadow and is usually a desert.

19 Cold currents bring dry, cool air to the coastal areas. O – OCEAN CURRENTS Cold currents bring dry, cool air to the coastal areas.

20 A periodic reversal of the pattern of ocean currents and water temperatures in the mid-pacific regions. Think about it – your farm is used to moist, warm air, and now it is getting cold, dry air….

La Niña episodes (right hand column) represent periods of below-average sea-surface temperatures across the eastern tropical Pacific. These episodes typically last approximately 9-12 months.

El Nino & La Nina. 21 P – PRESSURE AND PREVAILING WINDS:Pressure- High pressure is heavy, cold air.

Heat rises. There are some fairly constant air pressure systems.

22 Prevailing Winds- The Equator is surrounded by an area of calm called the Doldrums (ITCZ). The Trade Winds (Tropical Easterlies) blow from east to west (generally warm and moist).

Between 30º N/S and 60º N/S are the Westerlies (Prevailing Westerlies). They blow from west to east.

The Polar Easterlies blow from 90º in an eastward direction toward the Westerlies. There are serious thunderstorms around the 60º latitude line where the two wind patterns collide Notice that these lines are located at 0, 30, 60, 90 (not 0, 23 ½, 66 ½, and 90).

When hot air masses and cold air masses collide – there are storms. Cyclonic storms (hurricanes, typhoons, etc.) in the Northern Hemisphere spin counter-clockwise.

24 Indicates average temperature and precipitation for an area. Climograph- Indicates average temperature and precipitation for an area.

When we describe the Earth in spherical coordinates it is called Geographic, or Un-projected. The most common system for locating points on the earth is with “Longitudes” and “Latitudes”.

A longitude is an angle from the prime merdian, measured to the east (longitudes to the west are negative). Latitudes measure an angle up from the equator (latitudes to the south are negative).

Figure 1. With an angle of longitude and an angle of latitude, we can locate any point on the surface of the earth.

The lines running North to South are called “Meridians” or “lines of longitude” (Figure 2), while the lines running East to West are called “Parallels” or “lines of latitude” (Figure 3).

Note that the lines are parallel when we look at the earth from the equator. If we look at them from the poles, they appear circular.

The latitude is the angle formed by a line going from the center of the earth to the equator at the point on the equator that is closed to the point of interest and another line that goes from the center of the earth to the parallel that goes through the point of interest.

There are different ways of expressing longitude and latitude values.

Another common and older way of encoding longitude is from 180° West to 180° East.

Another common way of encoding latitude is from 90° N to 90° S.

Next >.

There is no definitive answer to this question as the location of the Prime Meridian (the line of longitude that is used to represent 0°) is arbitrary. It was originally established by the International Meridian Conference in 1884 and was located at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England.

As a result, the location of the Prime Meridian on a world map can vary depending on the mapmaker. Meridian is located in southern Idaho in the Treasure Valley, approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Boise.

Meridian is part of the Boise metropolitan area and has a population of approximately 90,000 people. What is a Null island.

The 0 longitude line is defined by any longitude line that is located on the planet. According to a widely held belief, the Greenwich, England, meridian, which runs through the area, is the official prime meridian.

Null Island is located at the point where the equator intersects with the prime minister. The point is essential because it is used to create all international measurements, including latitude and longitude.

Null Island is a critical point in world history due to its location. From its pole to pole, the Meridian passes through England, France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana, before ending at Antarctica.

During the study of astronomy, it is referred to as the meridian, which is a great circle that passes through the celestial poles and reaches the zenith and nadir of an observer. As a result, the horizon is also surrounded by two points on the north and south sides.

The Prime Meridian includes Algeria, Burkinabe, Ghana, Mali, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The prime meridian is defined as a zero-degree longitude point that connects the East and West.

It is a point on the Earth’s surface that separates the Eastern and Western hemispheres. It is also known as the Greenwich Mean Time.

There are 5.3 seconds between the actual zero-degree longitude and the actual latitude. It travels through the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Algeria, and Algeria in its northern hemisphere.

The Prime Meridian has a long and illustrious history that goes back hundreds of years. When a French astronomer named Pierre-Simon Laplace discovered it in 1784, it was the first zero-degree longitude line in the northern hemisphere.

Since its inception, the Prime Meridian has been a vital tool for navigation. This system was used for centuries to chart the course of ships and planes, and it has aided the discovery and exploration of a wide range of countries.

The two hemispheres are divided into two hemispheres, and the hemispheres are divided into time zones all over the world based on this line. The selection of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England as an international standard for passing through the prime meridian was a significant milestone in the development of global navigation.

As a result, it is one of the most widely used international standards for the prime meridian.

How are the Equator and Prime Meridian different. Do you ever feel confused when you look at those horizontal and vertical lines on a globe or map.

Many people often find it difficult to understand those crisscrossing lines.

And that brings them to another question, “How are the Equator and Prime Meridian alike and different. ”.

There is a grid of lines drawn onto globes, atlases and world maps.

The geographical grid comprises carefully placed horizontal and vertical lines.

One, the Prime Meridian is especially important. The horizontal lines circling globes and drawn onto maps are the lines of latitudes.

One is often called the ‘Great Circle’ and is on Chinese maps that date back to 500 BCE. We know it as the Equator.

Most people think any location along the Equator is very hot and typically it is, although there is one spot exactly on the Equator that has permanent snow.

The Equator splits the Earth into equal hemispheres, north and south. The Prime Meridian splits it equally east and west.

Modern GPS uses the same coordinate system today.

By the late 19th century 72% of navigational charts were using the Prime Meridian to measure longitude, their distance from the Prime Meridian east or west. The imaginary line of the Equator runs horizontally halfway between the poles at 0o latitude where the Earth is widest because of a phenomenon named equatorial bulge.

It is caused by the Earth’s faster rotation at the Equator. Both lines serve as zero starting points on the geographical grid and by giving each line a value, any location can be plotted using a fixed point.

The distance between the longitudes and latitudes is further divided into smaller minutes and seconds to aid the coordinate system’s accuracy. Latitude is found by connecting two lines and measuring the angle between them using a fixed line from the Equator to the center of the Earth.

For geographical purposes the Earth is described as having four hemispheres: The line of 0o latitude, the Equator, divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Each hemisphere has a different climate because the Earth tilts towards and away from the sun through the seasons. In the Northern Hemisphere, summer is from June through September but in the Southern, summer begins in December and ends in March.

The Equator doesn’t shift or move, so its representation was recognized on maps 2500 years old.

Let’s talk about some major differences between the Equator and Prime Meridian: At first glance, the difference between the imagery lines of the Equator and the Prime Meridian is one of orientation.

The grid existed on a map created by Eratosthenes in the 3rd century BCE. And five centuries later, Ptolemy worked on refining its accuracy by using curved lines of latitudes to compensate for the spherical shape of the Earth.

His prime meridian passed through the Canary Islands off Africa.

The Equator represents a real geographical divide between the climate of the cooler Northern Hemisphere and the warmer Southern. In contrast, the Western and Eastern Hemispheres have few differences.

Being 81% water there is less land and so fewer people live in the Southern Hemisphere, only around 12% of the world’s population. The remaining 88% live in the Northern Hemisphere, which has 67% of the Earth’s total land mass.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the density of the population and its associated activity has resulted in higher levels of pollution.

Although with hardly any seasonal tilt, the seasonal variations are minimal.

Without the Earth tilting as much, the position of the Equator relative to the sun barely changes over the course of the year. This is unlike the Prime Meridian’s distance which varies because of the planet’s Equatorial bulge and rotational tilt.

The Prime Meridian is over 12,000 miles long, and there are many temperature fluctuations along its route.

Meridians are typically measured in degrees.

At 180o, the Prime Meridian becomes the Antemeridian, exactly opposite on the other side of the Earth.

Besides acting as a convenient reference point, the Equatorial zone is essential for the health of the planet. It covers almost 6% of the Earth from 0o to 10o north and south as a diverse band of vegetation wrapping the planet.

The dense vegetation absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide and exhales huge amounts of oxygen refreshing the atmosphere. Initially there was debate around where to establish the Prime Meridian.

There was the political question of borders and it was suggested placing it at 20o would avoid splitting the lucrative colonies of West Africa.

How are the Equator and Prime Meridian different.

The Equator, an imaginary line halfway between the North and South Poles, divides the Earth’s surface into the northern and southern hemispheres.

Because of this, while both function as reference lines in our geographical coordinate system, they designate different axes within it.

The Equator is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It serves as the zero-degree latitude line, from which all other latitudes are measured.

It serves as the zero-degree longitude line, from which all other longitudes are measured. The North Pole is the most northerly point on Earth and is located at a latitude of 90 degrees North.

Read also: 20 Facts About Whistler Water. The South Pole is the most southerly point on Earth and is located at a latitude of 90 degrees South.

Latitude lines, also known as parallels, are imaginary lines that run horizontally across the Earth from east to west. They indicate the distance north or south of the Equator.

They indicate the distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. The Tropic of Cancer is a latitude line located at approximately 23.5 degrees North.

The Tropic of Capricorn is a latitude line located at approximately 23.5 degrees South. It marks the southernmost point where the Sun can appear directly overhead at noon.

It marks the southernmost point where the Sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours. Read also: 17 Facts About Blowgun.

It marks the northernmost point where the Sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for 24 hours. Latitude and longitude provide a precise way to determine the position of any point on Earth’s surface.

Latitudinal lines, or parallels, are parallel to each other and do not intersect. They maintain the same distance from each other as they circle the Earth.

At these points, they meet and form a single point of reference. Latitude is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

Longitude is also measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Just like latitude, degrees represent the largest unit, minutes are smaller divisions, and seconds are the smallest subdivisions.

It was established in 1884 during the International Meridian Conference. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology relies on latitude and longitude coordinates to pinpoint exact locations on Earth’s surface.

The Earth’s latitude plays a crucial role in determining climate and weather patterns. Factors such as the angle of the Sun’s rays and the distance from the Equator influence temperature and precipitation.

Each 15-degree increment of longitude represents one-hour difference in time. By combining latitude and longitude coordinates, we can identify a specific point on Earth’s surface.

In conclusion, latitude and longitude are crucial components of geographic coordinates that help us locate specific points on Earth’s surface. They provide a universal system for identifying locations and are used extensively in navigation, mapmaking, and GPS technology.

It’s fascinating to know that these coordinates have been instrumental in shaping our understanding of geography and have been used for centuries to explore uncharted territories.So, the next time you look at a map or use a GPS device, take a moment to appreciate the significance of latitude and longitude.

What is latitude.

It helps determine how far north or south a location is from the Earth’s Equator. 2.

Longitude is the angular distance measured in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian. It helps determine how far east or west a location is from the Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, London.

Why do we use latitude and longitude.

They allow for precise and accurate navigation, mapmaking, and GPS technology. 4.

Latitude plays a significant role in determining climate. The angle at which the sun’s rays hit the Earth’s surface varies with latitude, influencing temperatures and weather patterns.

Can latitude and longitude help in finding specific locations.

They enable us to pinpoint coordinates and accurately locate places on maps or GPS systems. 6.

Yes, the concept of latitude and longitude remains the same across the globe. However, the values change based on the specific location being measured.

Did latitude and longitude always exist.

Ancient civilizations used various methods to determine location, but the modern system we use today took shape over centuries.

The international date line, shown here as a yellow line, defines the boundary between calendar dates.

It is located halfway around the world from the prime meridian — the 0 degrees longitude line in Greenwich, England.

When you cross the date line, you become a time traveler of sorts. Cross to the west and it’s one day later.

Despite its name, the international date line has no legal international status and countries are free to choose the dates that they observe. While the date line generally runs north to south from pole to pole, it zigzags around political borders such as eastern Russia and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

Last updated: 01/20/23 Author: NOAA How to cite this article. Contact Us.

The Northern Hemisphere runs from 0° latitude to 90° North and the Southern Hemisphere from 0° latitude to 90° South. ©timeanddate.com.

It begins at 0° latitude (the equator) and continues north until it reaches 90°N latitude (the North Pole). The Southern Hemisphere is the southern half of the Earth.

Some differences between the Southern and Northern Hemispheres are literally polar opposite but tend to be portrayed from the perspective of the Northern Hemisphere. One of the most misleading differences is that the calendar symbols for the Moon phases are based on the Northern Hemisphere point of view.

however, in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the left side of the Moon that is illuminated at First Quarter. The calendar Moon phase symbols are: = New Moon, = First Quarter, = Full Moon , = Third Quarter.

The Arctic and the Antarctic both have the midnight sun, polar nights, and the Northern and Southern lights (aurora boralis and australis). One of the explanations for the bias can be that most of the world’s population lives in the Northern Hemisphere.

87% of the world’s population lives in the Northern Hemisphere. It has the largest portion of landmass on the globe.

According to timeanddate’s data, around 6.7 billion people live in the Northern Hemisphere: 87% of Earth’s population.*. Hemisphere (pronounced HEH-mih-sfear) is used to describe one half of a sphere—a round object—like a planet, or in this case, Earth.

This is because this part of the globe has the largest landmass and contains many of the most populous countries, including China, India, and the US. Five of Earth’s seven continents are either wholly or partly in this hemisphere, including all of North America and Europe, most of Asia, two-thirds of Africa, and the northern part of South America.

The Southern Hemisphere consists of more ocean than the Northern Hemisphere. ©timeanddate.com.

The continents Australia and Antarctica are located wholly in the Southern Hemisphere. Also, most of South America and one-third of Africa are in the southern half of the globe.

Traditionally, Australia and New Zealand have been considered more western countries in the Southern Hemisphere. The Southern Ocean is the only Ocean that is located entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.

Seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are opposite. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Summers in the Northern Hemisphere are a few days longer than summers in the Southern Hemisphere. This is because the Earth is slightly further away from the Sun in July than in December and moves more slowly in its orbit around the Sun.

Astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere starts with the March equinox, summer with the June solstice, fall (autumn) with the September equinox, and winter with the December solstice. The Northern Hemisphere receives more sunlight between March and September than the Southern Hemisphere.

©timeanddate.com. The Sun and Moon’s movement across the sky is different depending on where you stand on the globe:

See the Sun rise and move across the sky in Sydney, Australia (hit play). See the Sun rise and move across the sky Quito, Equador (hit play).

Watch the First Quarter Moon over New York, US (hit play). Watch the First Quarter Moon over Sydney, Australia (hit play).

The orientation of the illuminated side of the Moon in the Northern Hemisphere. At First Quarter, the illuminated side of the Moon is on the right.

The orientation of the illuminated side of the Moon in the Southern Hemisphere. At First Quarter, the illuminated side of the Moon is on the left.

VIDEO: Moon phases explained. Just like the globe is divided into two Hemispheres, so is the night sky above the spheres.

As with the difference between Moon phases, this is because observers in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are standing ‘upside down’ relative to each other. Because Earth is rotating, the northern and southern skies are ever-changing, but two stars are fixed: The North Pole is always pointing toward Polaris (the North Star), and the South Pole is always pointing toward Polaris Australis (the South Star).

When we look at the planets in our solar system, they line up in different directions from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. For example, in the alignment of the classical planets in June 2022, the planets line up from left to right as seen from New York, US, and from right to left if looking from Sydney, Australia.

The image is generated in our Night Sky Map at 04:40 local time (4:40 am) on June 24, 2022. ©timeanddate.com.

*Our population data is calculated with data from the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Topics: Time Zone, Earth, Geography.

Related Articles How Compasses WorkHow Maps WorkHow Search and Rescue WorksHow Electromagnets Work More Great Links Geological Survey of CanadaDeclination Calculator — National Centers for Environmental InformationU.S. Army Survival ManualUnited States Search and Rescue Task Force Sources Air Land Sea Application Center.

June 1999. (April 25, 2022).

Armed Forces Survival Manual.” Macmillan. 2004.

“The Fundamentals of Search and Rescue.” Jones & Bartlett Publishers. 2005.

“OA Guide to Map and Compass — Part 2.” The Backpacker’s Field Manual. Random House.

(April 25, 2022) Survey of Canada. “Geomagnetism: Magnetic declination.” Updates Jan.

(April 25, 2022) Garth. “Outdoor Survival.” Stackpole Books.

(April 24, 2022) John and Fackler, Mark. “With a Cellphone as My Guide.” The New York Times.

(April 25, 2022) Special Air Service Survival Guide. “Reading the Signs.” Paul.

(April 25, 2022) Todorov, Nick. “How to use your phone as a compass + the best Android compass app.” April 13, 2020 (April 24, 2022) ( Cy.

(April 25, 2022) States Search and Rescue Task Force. “Compass Basics.” (April 25, 2022) John.

(April 25, 2022). How Compasses WorkHow Maps WorkHow Search and Rescue WorksHow Electromagnets Work.

Army Survival ManualUnited States Search and Rescue Task Force. Sources Air Land Sea Application Center.

June 1999. (April 25, 2022).

Armed Forces Survival Manual.” Macmillan. 2004.

“The Fundamentals of Search and Rescue.” Jones & Bartlett Publishers. 2005.

“OA Guide to Map and Compass — Part 2.” The Backpacker’s Field Manual. Random House.

(April 25, 2022) Survey of Canada. “Geomagnetism: Magnetic declination.” Updates Jan.

(April 25, 2022) Garth. “Outdoor Survival.” Stackpole Books.

(April 24, 2022) John and Fackler, Mark. “With a Cellphone as My Guide.” The New York Times.

(April 25, 2022) Special Air Service Survival Guide. “Reading the Signs.” Paul.

(April 25, 2022) Todorov, Nick. “How to use your phone as a compass + the best Android compass app.” April 13, 2020 (April 24, 2022) ( Cy.

(April 25, 2022) States Search and Rescue Task Force. “Compass Basics.” (April 25, 2022) John.

(April 25, 2022). Air Land Sea Application Center.

June 1999. (April 25, 2022).

Armed Forces Survival Manual.” Macmillan. 2004.

“The Fundamentals of Search and Rescue.” Jones & Bartlett Publishers. 2005.

“OA Guide to Map and Compass — Part 2.” The Backpacker’s Field Manual. Random House.

(April 25, 2022) Survey of Canada. “Geomagnetism: Magnetic declination.” Updates Jan.

(April 25, 2022) Garth. “Outdoor Survival.” Stackpole Books.

(April 24, 2022) John and Fackler, Mark. “With a Cellphone as My Guide.” The New York Times.

(April 25, 2022) Special Air Service Survival Guide. “Reading the Signs.” Paul.

(April 25, 2022) Todorov, Nick. “How to use your phone as a compass + the best Android compass app.” April 13, 2020 (April 24, 2022) ( Cy.

(April 25, 2022) States Search and Rescue Task Force. “Compass Basics.” (April 25, 2022) John.

(April 25, 2022). Air Land Sea Application Center.

June 1999. (April 25, 2022).

Armed Forces Survival Manual.” Macmillan. 2004.

“The Fundamentals of Search and Rescue.” Jones & Bartlett Publishers. 2005.

“OA Guide to Map and Compass — Part 2.” The Backpacker’s Field Manual. Random House.

(April 25, 2022) Survey of Canada. “Geomagnetism: Magnetic declination.” Updates Jan.

(April 25, 2022) Garth. “Outdoor Survival.” Stackpole Books.

(April 24, 2022) John and Fackler, Mark. “With a Cellphone as My Guide.” The New York Times.

(April 25, 2022) Special Air Service Survival Guide. “Reading the Signs.” Paul.

(April 25, 2022) Todorov, Nick. “How to use your phone as a compass + the best Android compass app.” April 13, 2020 (April 24, 2022) (.

1 Longitude Latitude. 2 Latitude/Longitude A way to describe our location on the earthTells how far north/south and east/west These are called coordinates N W E S.

4 Run north and south. Where do all the lines meet.

Prime Meridian – 0o Run north and south. Where do all the lines meet.

5 By combining latitude and longitudeWe can pinpoint any location on Earth.

One degree is 1/360th the way around the earth.

8 Many computer programs, such as GIS software, use this method.Another way to describe coordinates is to use a “+” or “-” instead of north, south, east, or west. North is “+” East is “+” South is “-” West is “-” Many computer programs, such as GIS software, use this method.

9 If you are inputting data into a GIS program, you will need to use “+” or “-”.Huntsville, Alabama is at: 34.72o North 86.62o West The answer: degrees and degrees. When inputting to a GIS, the + is assumed.

10 So you don’t have to worry about “+” or “-”The GLOBE website has buttons to click for North and South, when creating your Study Site definition. So you don’t have to worry about “+” or “-”.

Decimal Degrees = XX.xxxxxo We use… 86o 28’ 32” is NOT EQUAL to o Be sure your GPS is set for decimal degrees.

Check out “Setting up your GPS” at – go to “Teaching Materials” Your AMSTI- GLOBE specialists: Jerry Cobbs Lynn Vaughan.

Every student in the world learns about latitude and longitude in their primary schools and think that these are permanent lines on the earth’s surface. Even adults do not fully understand the meaning and the uses of latitude and longitude.

Additionally, we will find the method of finding the latitude and longitude of any given place. Basically, latitudes and longitudes are imaginary lines on the surface of the earth which help us find the location of any person or object on the earth surface.

It is clear from the discussion in the previous sections that latitudes and longitudes have many key differences. However, there is also difference in their use and application.

Let us take the example of Eiffel Tower in Paris. One has to visit Google Earth.

Then you can zoom in on Eiffel tower. Lastly, when you place the mouse cursor on top of Eiffel Tower, you will be able to see the latitude and longitude information on the bottom right corner of the website (see Red arrow in Fig.

In short, we may conclude that latitudes and longitudes are essential part of navigation and locational analysis. It is only with the help of latitudes and longitudes that locational analysis in geography and other social sciences is possible.

Kulwinder Singh is an alumni of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and working as Assistant Professor of Geography at Pt. C.L.S.

He is a passionate teacher and avid learner.

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It is common knowledge that the Earth is round, and navigational information is obtained by drawing imaginary lines to determine latitude, longitude, prime meridian, and the equator. The South Pole and the North Pole are Earth’s main reference points, located at the northern and southern extremes of the world.

Parallel lines, running from the North to the South Poles, are known as longitudes. The International Date Line (IDL) is also an imaginary line that runs from the North to the South Pole and separates two calendar days.

The IDL is an imaginary line that roughly follows the 180° line of longitude and passes through the Pacific Ocean. However, this line is not straight and strays from the 180° meridian at certain points.

The deviations enable places of the same economic and political affiliations to share the same date or time. Otherwise, if the IDL were a straight line, it would divide certain landmasses into two parts with two different dates on the same day.

From the North Pole, the IDL first bends to the east to pass near the Chukchi Peninsula (Russia) and Wrangel Island’s east, then proceeds through the Bering Strait before bending towards the west of St. Matthew and St.

From there, the line runs between the Commander Islands and the Aleutian Islands and returns to the 180° meridian until it passes the equator. Below the equator, the line swings far to the east, near the 150° meridian, and circumscribes Kiribati.

Finally, the line bends southwestwards and follows the 180° meridian until it reaches Antarctica.

The conference, attended by 26 nations, settled on 180° longitude because it runs through an open ocean (Pacific Ocean) and zig-zagged it to keep the surrounding nations, especially island countries, within the same day and date.

Therefore, people traveling westwards without adjusting their time back by an hour for every 15° meridian will discover that they have gained an extra day when they return home. This happened to Ferdinand Magellan’s crew after their 1522 expedition.

For two hours a day, between 10:00 and 11:59 UTC, there are three separate calendar dates. For example, at 10:30 UTC on Friday, it is 11:30 PM Thursday in American Samoa, 12:30 AM UTC Saturday in Kiritimati and 6:30 AM UTC Friday in New York.