Difference between longitude and latitude
What is longitude and latitude?
Longitude and latitude are geographic coordinates used to locate a specific point on the globe. Latitude is used to measure the location of a point in relation to the Earth's equator, while longitude is used to measure the position in relation to the Greenwich meridian.
Latitude
Latitude is measured in degrees, minutes and seconds. The Earth's equator is the imaginary line that divides the Earth into two hemispheres: the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. Latitude is measured as an angle in degrees ranging from 0° at the equator to 90° at both poles.
Types of latitude
- Geographic latitude: refers to the actual latitude of a point on Earth.
- Astronomical latitude: refers to the latitude at which a celestial object is located in the sky.
Length
Length is measured in degrees, minutes and seconds. The Greenwich Meridian is the imaginary line that divides the Earth into two hemispheres: the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Longitude is measured as an angle in degrees ranging from 0° on the Greenwich meridian to 180° on both sides.
Length Types
- Geographic longitude: refers to the actual length of a point on Earth.
- Astronomical longitude: refers to the longitude at which a celestial object is located in the sky.
How are longitude and latitude used?
Longitude and latitude are essential for navigation and cartography. Nowadays, thanks to technology, we can know our exact location anywhere in the world by using GPS devices that show us our latitude and longitude on a map.
Conclusion
Longitude and latitude are geographical coordinates that allow us to locate an exact point on the Earth's surface. While latitude measures the distance to the equator, longitude measures the distance to the Greenwich Meridian. Its use is essential for navigation and cartography and today it is possible to know our exact location thanks to GPS technology.