Difference between revisions of "Longitude"
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| − | '''Lines of longitude''' or '''meridians''' are imaginary lines that run north and south across the earth. They are used to measure east-west location, relative to a "prime meridian" which by definition is 0°. While in the past many meridians have been used, since 1884 the Greenwich Meridian has become the universal standard.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> | + | '''Lines of longitude''' or '''meridians''' are imaginary lines that run north and south across the earth. They are used to measure east-west location, relative to a "prime meridian" which by definition is 0°. While in the past many meridians have been used, since 1884 the Greenwich Meridian has become the universal standard.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> Longitude is an ''angular'' measurement and is given in degrees, minutes, and seconds, represented by the symbols °, ', and " respectively. |
Although lines of longitude may be imaginary, they are very important to navigators; [[Lewis Carroll]] joked about this in his long nonsense poem [[The Hunting of the Snark]]: | Although lines of longitude may be imaginary, they are very important to navigators; [[Lewis Carroll]] joked about this in his long nonsense poem [[The Hunting of the Snark]]: | ||
Revision as of 17:10, March 26, 2007
Lines of longitude or meridians are imaginary lines that run north and south across the earth. They are used to measure east-west location, relative to a "prime meridian" which by definition is 0°. While in the past many meridians have been used, since 1884 the Greenwich Meridian has become the universal standard.[1] Longitude is an angular measurement and is given in degrees, minutes, and seconds, represented by the symbols °, ', and " respectively.
Although lines of longitude may be imaginary, they are very important to navigators; Lewis Carroll joked about this in his long nonsense poem The Hunting of the Snark:
- "What's the good of Mercator's North Poles and Equators,
- Tropics, Zones, and Meridian Lines?"
- So the Bellman would cry: and the crew would replyv
- "They are merely conventional signs!
Accordingly, the Snark uses a map which is "a perfect and absolute blank."
References
- ↑ Wile, Dr. Jay L. Exploring Creation With Physical Science. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000