Measuring Latitude and Longitude

Measuring Latitude and longitude could be of immense help for the greater common good of the human being as it offer a beautiful insight into the prevailing weather conditions and time zone world over. This knowledge helps people to prepare and adjust to the changes put forth by the mother nature. Measuring latitude and longitudes are common practice among cartographers, meteorologist and scientist as it smoothes the operations and forecast that could be used for the well being of the humanity.

In a bid to understand these thing we will discuss the latitude first.

Measuring Latitude:

The line associating all the points of a given latitude value is called a line of latitude. The lines of latitude are parallel and are at equal distance. The radii of the circles formed by the lines of latitude decreases as it distance from the equator increases. The equator is termed as a zero degree of latitude. As the value for a given degree of latitude remains constant on the ground, it makes measuring latitude a lot simpler.

This term lines of latitude are commonly assigned to the lines that have values in whole degrees. The lines of latitude run parallel to the Equator, and hence these lines are termed as lines of parallels. The space between the two Parallels is a constant entity. One can find 90 degrees of latitude while going north from the Equator, the North Pole is 90 degrees N. Similarly one can find 90 degrees to the south of the Equator, the South Pole is at 90 degrees S. When there are no directional designators, latitudes north to equator are assigned positive values while southern latitudes are assigned negative values.

Measuring Longitude:

The significance of measuring longitude and latitude can't be undermined as its importance is great and far reaching. Longitude gives an east-west direction of a location in relation to Greenwich, the prime meridian. Longitude increases as one goes far from the prime meridian, or 0°, in Greenwich, England. As the lines of longitude intersect the poles, a degree of longitude express a varying distance on the ground.

Let us discuss some basic terms that are of great significance in measurement of latitude and longitude. A degree of latitude has a

value of nearly 69 miles, and a minute of latitude represents 1.15 miles. For small measurements a second of latitude is nearly 0.02 miles, or little more than 100 feet.

The value for a degree of longitude varies in size depending on its distance from the equator. At the equator, the value of a degree of a longitude is approximately 69 miles, that is equal to a degree of latitude. The size gradually reduces to become zero as these meridians converge at the poles.

Armed with these facts and figures one can measure the latitude and longitude with great ease and precision. So tell the world where are you standing at this planet earth.