How latitude and longitude are determined on a map. Determination of geographical coordinates on the map. The concept of longitude

Measured from 0° to 90° either side of the equator. The geographical latitude of points lying in the northern hemisphere (northern latitude) is considered to be positive, the latitude of points in southern hemisphere- negative. It is customary to speak of latitudes close to the poles as high, and about those close to the equator - as about low.

Due to the difference in the shape of the Earth from the ball, the geographical latitude of the points differs somewhat from their geocentric latitude, i.e. from the angle between the direction to given point from the center of the earth and the plane of the equator.

Longitude

Longitude- the angle λ between the plane of the meridian passing through the given point, and the plane of the initial zero meridian, from which the longitude is counted. Longitudes from 0° to 180° east of the prime meridian are called east, to the west - west. Eastern longitudes are considered to be positive, western - negative.

Height

To fully determine the position of a point three-dimensional space, the third coordinate is needed - height. The distance to the center of the planet is not used in geography: it is convenient only when describing very deep regions of the planet or, on the contrary, when calculating orbits in space.

Within the geographic envelope, the "height above sea level" is usually used, measured from the level of the "smoothed" surface - the geoid. Such a system of three coordinates turns out to be orthogonal, which simplifies a number of calculations. Altitude above sea level is also convenient in that it is related to atmospheric pressure.

Distance from earth's surface(up or down) is often used to describe a place, however not serves coordinate

Geographic coordinate system

The main disadvantage in practical application GSK in navigation is big angular velocity of this system at high latitudes, increasing up to infinity at the pole. Therefore, instead of HCS, a semi-free CS in azimuth is used.

Semi-free in azimuth coordinate system

The semi-free in azimuth SC differs from the HSC in only one equation, which has the form:

Accordingly, the system has the same initial position that the HCS and their orientation also coincide with the only difference that its axes and are deviated from the corresponding axes of the HCS by an angle for which the equation is valid

The conversion between the HCS and semi-free in the azimuth of the CS is carried out according to the formula

In reality, all calculations are carried out in this system, and then, to issue output information, the coordinates are transformed into the GCS.

Recording formats for geographic coordinates

The WGS84 system is used to record geographic coordinates.

Coordinates (latitude -90° to +90°, longitude -180° to +180°) can be written:

in ° degrees as a decimal fraction (modern version)
in ° degrees and "minutes s decimal
in ° degrees, " minutes and " seconds with a decimal fraction (historical notation)

The decimal separator is always a dot. Positive signs of coordinates are represented by the (in most cases, omitted) sign "+", or by the letters: "N" - north latitude and "E" - east longitude. Negative signs of coordinates are represented either by a "-" sign or by the letters: "S" - southern latitude and "W" - western longitude. Letters can stand both in front and behind.

There are no uniform rules for recording coordinates.

On the maps search engines by default, the coordinates are shown in degrees with a decimal fraction with "-" signs for negative longitude. On Google maps and Yandex maps, latitude first, then longitude (until October 2012, the reverse order was adopted on Yandex maps: first longitude, then latitude). These coordinates are visible, for example, when laying routes from arbitrary points. The search also recognizes other formats.

In navigators, by default, degrees and minutes are more often shown with a decimal fraction with a letter designation, for example, in Navitel, in iGO. You can enter coordinates in accordance with other formats. The degrees and minutes format is also recommended for maritime communications.

At the same time, the original way of writing with degrees, minutes and seconds is often used. Currently, coordinates can be written in one of many ways or duplicated in two main ways (with degrees and with degrees, minutes and seconds). As an example, the options for recording the coordinates of the sign "Zero kilometer of the roads of the Russian Federation" - 55.755831 , 37.617673 55°45′20.99″ N sh. 37°37′03.62″ E d. / 55.755831 , 37.617673 (G) (O) (I):

55.755831°, 37.617673° -- degrees
N55.755831°, E37.617673° -- degrees (+ additional letters)
55°45.35"N, 37°37.06"E -- degrees and minutes (+ additional letters)
55°45"20.9916"N, 37°37"3.6228"E -- degrees, minutes and seconds (+ additional letters)

Notes

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

See what "Geographic coordinates" are in other dictionaries:

See Coordinates. Mountain Encyclopedia. M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Edited by E. A. Kozlovsky. 1984 1991 ... Geological Encyclopedia

- (latitude and longitude), determine the position of a point on the earth's surface. Geographic latitude j angle between plumb line at a given point and the plane of the equator, counted from 0 to 90sh on both sides of the equator. Geographic longitude l angle ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

Latitude and longitude determine the position of a point on the earth's surface. Geographic latitude? the angle between the plumb line at a given point and the plane of the equator, counted from 0 to 90. in both directions from the equator. Geographic longitude? angle between ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Angular values that determine the position of a point on the surface of the Earth: latitude - the angle between the plumb line at a given point and the plane of the earth's equator, measured from 0 to 90 ° (northern latitude north of the equator and southern latitude south); longitude ... ... Marine dictionary

Geographic latitude and longitude are plotted on a world map. With their help, it is easy to determine the location of the object.

A geographical map of the world is a reduced projection of the earth's surface on a plane. Continents, islands, oceans, seas, rivers, as well as countries, large cities and other objects are applied on it.

On the geographical map a grid has been drawn.
On it you can see clearly information about the continents, seas and oceans, and the map allows you to create an image of the relief of the world.
Using a geographical map, you can calculate the distance between cities and countries. It is also convenient to search for the location of land and ocean objects.

The shape of the Earth is like a sphere. If you need to determine a point on the surface of this sphere, then you can use the globe, which is our planet in miniature. But there is the most common way to find a point on Earth - these are geographical coordinates - latitude and longitude. These parallels are measured in degrees.

Geographic map of the world with latitude and longitude - photo:

The parallels that are drawn along and across the entire map are latitude and longitude. With their help, you can quickly and easily find any place in the world.

The geographical map of the hemispheres is convenient for perception. Africa, Eurasia and Australia are depicted on one hemisphere (eastern). On the other - the western hemisphere - North and South America.

Even our ancestors were engaged in the study of latitude and longitude. Even then there were maps of the world, not similar to modern ones, but with their help you can also determine where and what object is located. A simple explanation of what the geographic latitude and longitude of an object on a map is:

Latitude is a coordinate value in the system of spherical numbers that defines a point on the surface of our planet relative to the equator.

If the objects are located in the northern hemisphere, then the geographic latitude is called positive, if in the southern hemisphere - negative.
South latitude - the object is moving from the equator towards the North Pole.
North latitude - the object is moving towards the South Pole from the equator.
On a map, latitudes are lines that are parallel to each other. The distance between these lines is measured in degrees, minutes, seconds. One degree is 60 minutes and one minute is 60 seconds.
The equator is zero latitude.

Longitude is a coordinate value that determines the location of the object relative to the zero meridian.

This coordinate allows you to find out the location of the object relative to the west and east.
Lines of longitude are meridians. They are located perpendicular to the equator.
The zero point of longitude in geography is the Greenwich Laboratory, which is located in east London. This line of longitude is called the Greenwich meridian.
Objects that are to the east of the Greenwich meridian are the east longitude area, and those to the west are the west longitude area.
East longitudes are considered positive, and west longitudes are considered negative.

With the help of the meridian, such a direction as north-south is determined, and vice versa.

Latitude on a geographical map is measured from the equator - this is zero degrees. At the poles - 90 degrees of geographical latitude.

From what points, what meridian is the geographic longitude measured?

Longitude on a geographical map is measured from Greenwich. The prime meridian is 0°. The farther away from Greenwich an object is, the greater its longitude.

To determine the location of an object, you need to know its geographical latitude and longitude. As mentioned above, latitude shows the distance from the equator to a given object, and longitude shows the distance from Greenwich to the required object or point.

How to measure, find out the geographical latitude and longitude on the world map? Each parallel of latitude is indicated by a specific number - a degree.

Meridians are also indicated by degrees.

Measure, find out the geographical latitude and longitude on the world map

Any point will be located either at the intersection of the meridian and the parallel, or at the intersection of intermediate indicators. Therefore, its coordinates are indicated by specific indicators of latitude and longitude. For example, St. Petersburg is located at the following coordinates: 60° north latitude and 30° east longitude.

As mentioned above, latitude is parallels. To determine it, you need to draw a line parallel to the equator or a nearby parallel.

If the object is located on the parallel itself, then it is easy to determine its location (it was described above).
If the object is between parallels, then its latitude is determined by the nearest parallel from the equator.
For example, Moscow is located north of the 50th parallel. The distance to this object is measured along the meridian and it is equal to 6 °, which means that the geographical latitude of Moscow is 56 °.

illustrative example definitions of geographic coordinates of latitude on the world map can be found in the following video:

Video: Geographic latitude and geographic longitude. Geographical coordinates

To determine geographic longitude, you need to determine the meridian on which the point is located, or its intermediate value.

For example, St. Petersburg is located on the meridian, the value of which is 30°.
But what if the object is located between the meridians? How to determine its longitude?
For example, Moscow is located east of 30° east longitude.
Now add the number of degrees along the parallel to this meridian. It turns out 8 ° - it means that the geographical longitude of Moscow is 38 ° east longitude.

Another example of determining the geographic coordinates of longitude and latitude on a world map in a video:

Video: Finding latitude and longitude

All parallels and meridians are indicated on any map. What is the maximum value of geographic latitude and longitude? Highest value geographic latitude - 90 °, and longitude - 180 °. Most small value latitude is 0° (Equator), and the smallest value of longitude is also 0° (Greenwich Mean Time).

Geographic latitude and longitude of the poles and equator: what is it?

The geographical latitude of the points of the earth's equator is 0 °, North Pole+90°, South -90°. The longitude of the poles is not determined, since these objects are located on all meridians at once.

Determination of geographic coordinates of latitude and longitude on Yandex and Google maps online

It may be necessary for schoolchildren to determine geographic coordinates from maps in real time when performing control work or on an exam.

It's convenient, fast and simple. The determination of the geographical coordinates of latitude and longitude on Yandex and Google maps online can be done on various services on the Internet.
For example, it is enough to enter the name of an object, city or country, and click on it on the map. The geographical coordinates of this object will appear instantly.
In addition, the resource will show the address of the point being determined.

The online mode is convenient in that you can find out necessary information Here and now.

How to find a place by coordinates on Yandex and Google maps?

If you don't know the exact address object, but you know its geographical coordinates, then its location is easy to find on Google or Yandex maps. How to find a place by coordinates on Yandex and Google maps? Do the following:

Go, for example, to the Google map.
Enter a geographic coordinate value in the search box. It is allowed to enter degrees, minutes and seconds (for example 41°24’12.2″N 2°10’26.5″E), degrees and decimal minutes (41 24.2028, 2 10.4418), decimal degrees: (41.40338, 2.17403).
Click "Search", and the object you are looking for on the map will open in front of you.

The result will appear instantly, and the object itself will be marked on the map with a “red drop”.

Finding satellite maps with latitude and longitude coordinates is easy. You only need to enter in the search box of Yandex or Google keywords, and the service will instantly give you what you need.

For example, "Satellite maps with latitude and longitude coordinates." Many sites will open with the provision of such a service. Choose any, click on the desired object and determine the coordinates.

Satellite maps - determining the coordinates of latitude and longitude

The Internet gives us great opportunities. If earlier it was necessary to use only a paper map to determine longitude and latitude, now it is enough to have a gadget with a network connection.

Video: Geographical coordinates and determination of coordinates

It is possible to determine the location of a point on the planet Earth, as well as on any other planet of a spherical shape, using geographical coordinates - latitude and longitude. Right-angled intersections of circles and arcs create a corresponding grid, which makes it possible to uniquely determine the coordinates. A good example is an ordinary school globe lined with horizontal circles and vertical arcs. How to use the globe will be discussed below.

This system is measured in degrees (degree angle). The angle is calculated strictly from the center of the sphere to a point on the surface. Relative to the axis, the degree of the angle of latitude is calculated vertically, longitude - horizontally. To calculate the exact coordinates, there are special formulas, where one more value is often found - the height, which serves mainly to represent three-dimensional space and allows you to make calculations to determine the position of a point relative to sea level.

Latitude and longitude - terms and definitions

The earth's sphere is divided by an imaginary horizontal line into two equal parts of the world - the northern and southern hemispheres - into the positive and negative poles, respectively. This is how the definitions of northern and southern latitudes are introduced. Latitude is represented as circles parallel to the equator, called parallels. The equator itself with a value of 0 degrees is the starting point for measurements. The closer the parallel is to the upper or lower pole, the smaller its diameter and the higher or lower the angular degree. For example, the city of Moscow is located at 55 degrees north latitude, which determines the location of the capital as approximately equidistant from both the equator and the north pole.

Meridian - the so-called longitude, represented as a vertical arc strictly perpendicular to the circles of the parallel. The sphere is divided into 360 meridians. The starting point is the zero meridian (0 degrees), the arcs of which pass vertically through the points of the northern and south poles and spread to the east and west. In this way, the angle of longitude is determined from 0 to 180 degrees, calculated by values from the center to extreme points to the east or south.

Unlike latitude, which is based on the equatorial line, any meridian can be zero. But for convenience, namely the convenience of counting time, the Greenwich meridian was determined.

Geographic coordinates - place and time

Latitude and longitude allow you to assign to a particular place on the planet an exact geographical address, measured in degrees. Degrees, in turn, are divided into smaller units, such as minutes and seconds. Each degree is divided into 60 parts (minutes), and each minute is divided into 60 seconds. On the example of Moscow, the record looks like this: 55° 45′ 7″ N, 37° 36′ 56″ E or 55 degrees, 45 minutes, 7 seconds north latitude and 37 degrees, 36 minutes, 56 seconds south longitude.

The interval between the meridians is 15 degrees and about 111 km along the equator - this is the distance the Earth rotates in one hour. It takes 24 hours for a full turn, which is a day.

Use the globe

The model of the Earth is accurately reproduced on a globe with a realistic rendering of all continents, seas and oceans. As auxiliary lines, parallels and meridians are drawn on the map of the globe. Almost any globe has in its design a sickle-shaped meridian, which is installed on the base and serves as an auxiliary measure.

The meridian arc is equipped with a special degree scale, which determines the latitude. Longitude can be found using another scale - a hoop, horizontally installed at the level of the equator. Marking the desired place with your finger and rotating the globe around its axis to the auxiliary arc, we fix the latitude value (depending on the location of the object, it will turn out to be either north or south). Then we mark the data of the equator scale at the place of its intersection with the meridian arc and determine the longitude. To find out whether it is east or south longitude, you can only relative to the zero meridian.

Latitude and longitude are needed to determine the position on the globe. Knowing how to read latitude and longitude from a map, you can determine the geographic coordinates of any point on the map. While online maps allow you to determine latitude and longitude with the click of a button, it is sometimes useful to know how to do this on a paper map. In order to calculate latitude and longitude correctly, you first need to figure out what it is. Once you've mastered the basics, you'll be able to learn how to identify latitude and longitude marks on a map and determine the coordinates of any point.

Steps

Part 1

What is latitude and longitude

Familiarize yourself with the concept of latitude. Latitude is a measure of the distance north or south of the equator, which is an imaginary horizontal line that runs across equal distance from the poles. The whole Earth is divided by 180 latitude lines located on both sides of the equator, which are called parallels. Parallels run parallel to the equator and are usually horizontal on a map. 90 of them are north of the equator, another 90 are south.

Learn the definition of longitude. Longitude is a measure of the distance east or west of an imaginary line that runs across the surface of the globe from the North Pole to the South, called the prime meridian. The lines of longitude are a series of lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole, called meridians; on maps they are usually vertical. In all points through which one meridian passes, noon comes at the same time. There are 360 meridians on Earth, of which 180 are located east of the prime meridian, and the other 180 are located west.

Learn the units of latitude and longitude. Latitude and longitude are usually measured in degrees (°), minutes (′), and seconds (″). The total distance from one parallel to another or from one meridian to another is 1°. To make more accurate measurements, each degree can be divided into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds (thus, there will be 3600 seconds in a degree).

Measure latitude and longitude relative to the zero point. When measuring latitude, the equator is considered as the starting line, which has a latitude of 0°. Similarly, the prime meridian is the starting line for measuring longitude, having a longitude of 0°. Any value of latitude or longitude is expressed by how far a given point is from the starting line and in what direction it is from it.

For example, the latitude of the North Pole is 90° N. sh. (northern latitude), which means that it is 90° north of the equator.
The antimeridian has a longitude of 180° and can be denoted by both western and eastern longitudes.
The Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, is located at 29°58′31″N. sh. and 31°8′15″ E. D. (east longitude). This means that it is just south of 30° north of the equator in latitude, and about 31° east of the prime meridian in longitude.

Part 2

Determination of latitude and longitude coordinates on the map

Find a map with lines of latitude and longitude. Not all maps show latitude and longitude. You will most likely find them on maps of large areas, such as maps in an atlas. Among maps of smaller areas, they are most likely to be on maps that are designed to show the area particularly accurately, such as topographic maps. Keep in mind that in Russia, topographic maps at a scale of 1:50,000 and larger are classified.

Find an object that interests you. Look at the map and find the point or area for which you want to know the coordinates. Mark the specific point that interests you with a pin or pencil.

Find the latitude and longitude marks on the map. Latitude is indicated on the map by a series of horizontal lines with the same distance between them, going from one side of the map to the other, and longitude by a series of vertical lines with the same distance between them, going from top to bottom. Look at the numbers along the edges of the map - they show the coordinate (latitude or longitude) for each line.
- Latitudes are shown along the eastern and western borders of the map. Longitudes are shown along its northern and southern boundaries.
- Depending on the scale of the map you are using, the numbers along the edges of the map may not show whole degrees, but fractions of them. For example, they may show every minute instead of every degree (for example, 32°0′, 32°1′, and so on).
- The map must also indicate the position of latitude and longitude relative to the equator and prime meridian, respectively (ie north or south latitude, west or east longitude).
- Be careful not to confuse the lines of latitude and longitude with the kilometer grid, another kind of coordinate grid that is also often seen on maps, especially topographic ones. On Russian topographic maps, kilometer line signatures are double figures(without the degree symbol) located along the entire border of the map, and latitude and longitude labels are available only at the corners of the map. In other countries, the designations may be different.
Use a ruler to mark the latitude of the point you are interested in. Take a ruler and a pencil and draw a horizontal line from the desired point to the western or eastern edge of the map (whichever is closer). Make sure that the line you plotted is parallel to the line of latitude closest to it on the map.

Draw another line to mark the longitude of the point. From the same point, draw a straight vertical line along the ruler to the top or bottom edge of the card (whichever is closer). Make sure the line you draw is parallel to the longitude line closest to it.
Determine the latitude and longitude of the point you are interested in using the latitude and longitude labels. Depending on the scale of the map, you can determine the coordinates of the point you are interested in to degrees, minutes or seconds. Look at the location where the lines of latitude and longitude you have drawn intersect the edge of the map, and determine their coordinates from their position relative to the nearest lines on the map.
- If the map you are using shows seconds, find the second marker closest to where the line you drew crosses the edge of the map. For example, if the line is about 5″ above the 32°20′ N. sh., the desired point has a latitude of approximately 32 ° 20′5 ″ s. sh.
- If the map shows every minute but no seconds, you can determine the latitude or longitude to within 6 seconds by dividing the space between the lines by tenths. If the line of longitude is 2/10 to the left of the line 120°14′ E. so its longitude is approximately 120°14′12″ E. d.

Latitude- the angle between the local direction of the zenith and the plane of the equator, counted from 0 to 90 in both directions from the equator. The geographical latitude of points lying in the northern hemisphere (northern latitude) is considered to be positive, the latitude of points in the southern hemisphere is negative. In addition, it is customary to talk about latitudes that are larger in absolute value - as high, and about those close to zero (that is, to the equator) - as about low.

Longitude

Longitude- the angle between the plane of the meridian passing through the given point, and the plane of the initial zero meridian, from which the longitude is calculated. Now on Earth, the prime meridian is the one that passes through the old observatory in the city of Greenwich, and therefore it is called the Greenwich meridian. Longitudes from 0 to 180 ° east of the zero meridian are called eastern, to the west - western. Eastern longitudes are considered to be positive, western - negative. It should be emphasized that, in contrast to latitude, for a system of longitudes, the choice of the reference point (zero meridian) is arbitrary and depends only on the agreement. So, in addition to Greenwich, the meridians of the observatories of Paris, Cadiz, Pulkovo (on the territory of the Russian Empire), etc. were previously chosen as zero.

Height

To fully determine the position of a point in three-dimensional space, a third coordinate is needed - height. The distance to the center of the planet is not used in geography: it is convenient only when describing very deep regions of the planet or, on the contrary, when calculating orbits in space.

Within the geographic envelope, it is usually used height above sea level, counted from the level of the "smoothed" surface - the geoid. Such a system of three coordinates turns out to be orthogonal, which simplifies a number of calculations. Altitude above sea level is also convenient in that it is related to atmospheric pressure.

The distance from the earth's surface (up or down) is often used to describe a location, however not serves coordinate due to surface roughness.