GENERAL OBJECTIVES

Student will able to describe the coordinate system of the earth, and set out positions stated by:
Latitude and longitude; True bearing and distance from a given point, both in meters and in nautical miles.

Specific Learning Outcomes

At the end of this session, you will be able to: 1. State what coordinate system use to locate places on Earth; 2. List the main terrestrial coordinates; 3. Define Latitude, Longitude, Equator, Parallels of Latitude, Meridians and the Prime Meridian 4. Outline the salient features of Latitude, Longitude, Equator, Parallels of Latitude, Meridians and the Prime Meridian 5. Using a sphere (drawn on paper) draw, Latitude, Longitude, Equator, Parallels of Latitude, Meridians and the Prime Meridian

THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE EARTH The first step in converting the information contained in the real-world. .onto a piece of paper was to devise a system where everything could be uniquely located in that world.

THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE EARTH Very early maps (which usually showed small local or regional areas) used a grid technique which relied on simply measuring the distance and direction between points of interest and then plotting these onto the piece of paper. This method assumed that the Earth was flat.

THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE EARTH With the general agreement that the Earth was, in fact, round; A different methodology needed to be developed. The system that has been developed over many centuries is called LATITUDE and LONGITUDE. The location and measurement of latitude and longitude essentially involves complex mathematics (especially geometry) and a series of international agreements, conventions for recording locations on the surface of the Earth.

THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE EARTH LATITUDE The first convention to be developed was latitude. This is based on long term astronomical observations about how the sun is perceived to move across the surface of the Earth. These observations also developed the conventions that the sun: * rises in the east and sets in the west * is in the south during a European winter and in the north in a European summer

THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE EARTH

Latitude
It was agreed that a line around the center of the Earth would be called the EQUATOR. This would be The equator is an imaginary line numbered as zero that divides the earth into two degrees (0) of latitude. equal parts called the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.

THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE EARTH Latitude From the Equator a series of parallel lines were recognized with the most northern and southern points being called the North Pole and South Pole. These would be numbered as 90 degrees North and South respectively (90N and 90S).

THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE EARTH

Latitude These would be numbered as 90 degrees North and South respectively (90N and 90S) measured from the center of the sphere.

Four significant lines of latitude were also agreed upon. These are: * 0 - THE EQUATOR

* 23.5N and S - The Tropics (called Cancer in the north and Capricorn in the south) * 66.5N and S - The Polar Circles * 90N and S - The Poles

Because lines of latitude are like slices through the Earth they have different lengths. For example: * the Equator is 40,075 K long * the Antarctic Circle is 17,662 K long * the South Pole is 0 K long For obvious reasons, lines of latitude are called parallels.

Salient Features of Parallels of Latitude 1. Lines of latitude are imaginary lines drawn around the Earth from east to west ; 2. Each line runs parallel to the others and is measured in degrees. 3. These lines are called parallels of latitude because they run parallel to each other. 4. The most important line of latitude is the Equator. 5. The Equator divides the Earth into two halves: the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. 6. There are 90 degrees parallels of latitude to the north and 90 degrees to south of the equator.

LONGITUDE Defining longitude was much more difficult, as it is could not be based on observations of movement of the sun. The convention eventually agreed upon was to have a series of radiating lines which run vertically around the Earth.

LONGITUDE They connected at both ends ie at the North Pole and the South Pole. As a result of this, a series of slices much like slices of an orange are created. These are pointed at their ends and broadest in the middle. It was agreed that a primary line of longitude should be identified and that this should be zero degrees (0) of longitude.

LONGITUDE

For a considerable period of time the issue of which line of longitude was to be the primary line could not be agreed.
For obvious religious reasons, early European maps often used Jerusalem as the primary line of longitude. Because of its status as a center of learning other early map makers, such as Ptolemy, had used Alexandria in Egypt.

LONGITUDE

More commonly though, for patriotic reasons, many countries chose one of their cities. A few European examples are Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris and Saint Petersburg; while in the United States of America Washington and Philadelphia had been chosen.

LONGITUDE

Eventually, in October 1884, at the International Meridian Conference, it was agreed that the line of longitude that runs through the Royal Observatory, Greenwich in United Kingdom, was to be adopted as the standard primary line of longitude.

Prime Meridian: (Also called Greenwich Meridian) A line of constant longitude (=0o) running from the North Pole through Greenwich, England, to the South Pole. The Prime Meridian passes through the old Royal Astronomical Observatory (now a museum) at Greenwich, England which is very close to London.

LONGITUDE

Radiating to the east and to the west would be 180 of longitude. These would meet at the opposite side of the Earth and form a joint 180 line of longitude (with 180E and 180W being the same line). Lines of longitude are called MERIDIANS.

Salient Features of Meridians of Longitude 1. LONGITUDE: Lines of longitude are imaginary lines which run in a north-south direction from the North Pole to the South Pole. 2. The lines are also called meridians of longitude and they are also measured in degrees. 3. The most important line of longitude is the Greenwich, of Prime Meridian. 4. This line runs through the Greenwich Observatory in London. 5. All the other lines of longitude are given a number between 0 degrees and 180 degrees East or West. 6. The Earth is divided into two halves along the Greenwich Meridian: the Western Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere.

LATITUDE & LONGITUDE

Add the Two Together

Combine latitude and longitude together and we have a system to record the location of any feature on the surface of the Earth uniquely. THIS CALLED THE TERRESTRIAL COORDINATE SYSTEM

THE TERRESTRIAL COORDINATE SYSTEM

The coordinate system that we use to locate places on Earth is the terrestrial system.
The coordinates in the terrestrial system are latitude and longitude.

Latitude is measured in degrees North or South of the equator.

Longitude is measured in degrees East or West of the Prime Meridian or Greenwich Meridian (they are the same thing)

Special points and lines in the terrestrial system are the: - Equator (0' latitude) Equator: A line around the Earth 90o from the North Pole or the South Pole; the line of latitude = 0o. - North and South Poles (90' latitude N or S)

Latitude: A coordinate measured north (N) or south (S) of the equator on the Earth, in degrees. The North Pole is 90oN. Latitudes S are sometimes (but not usually) given as negative numbers.

Longitude: A coordinate measured east (E) or west (W) of the Prime Meridian. Longitudes W are sometimes (but not usually) given as negative numbers.