Latitude And Longitude / Polaris Flashcards
How is the shape of the Earth not perfectly round? What is it actually referred to as?
It is referred to as an oblate spheroid. The diameter around the equator is slightly larger than around the poles.
The axis of Earth is tilted at approx. ____ degrees
23.5
The speed of when the Earth is rotating depends on what?
How far North or South of the equator you are
What is the greatest velocity at? The least?
Equator. North and South poles.
What’s a coordinate system?
A methods of locating an exact location on a two dimensional surface
Polaris aka
The North Star
Where is 0 degrees longitude?
Greenwich, England
What is the 180th meridian called?
International date line
Every __ degrees of longitude equals __ hour of time
- 1.
How can you determine your longitude?
You must know the time difference between your location and the prime meridian
what does latitude measure?
How far north or south of the equator your location is
What does longitude measure?
How far a location is east or west of the prime meridian.
How many minutes are in 1° of latitude or longitude?
60 minutes
What to remember when working with time zones
West is less, East increase
How do you locate Polaris?
Find the Big Dipper and follow the pointer stars at the end of the bowl
What is the importance of Polaris?
- Polaris is always due to North
2. The altitude of Polaris is equal to your latitude
What is altitude?
The height of an object above the horizon measures in degrees (0 degrees -horizon, 90 degrees -zenith)
If the lines of latitude/longitude are between two lines it’s always the _____ ______
Lower number
Ex. 42° 40’N, 73° 45’W
.
Where is the Tropic of Cancer?
23.5°N latitude
When you are at the North Pole, what is the altitude of Polaris?
90 degrees
