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- Dictionaryprime meridian
noun
- 1. a planet's meridian adopted as the zero of longitude.
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A prime meridian is an arbitrarily chosen meridian (a line of longitude) in a geographic coordinate system at which longitude is defined to be 0°. Together, a prime meridian and its anti-meridian (the 180th meridian in a 360°-system) form a great circle. This great circle divides a spheroid, like Earth, into two hemispheres: the Eastern ...
Jun 26, 2023 · The Prime Meridian is the imaginary line that divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres and serves as the reference for longitude. Learn about its history, role in navigation and timekeeping, and cultural and symbolic significance.
- What Is A Meridian?
- What Are Latitude and longitude?
- What Is The Prime Meridian?
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A meridian is an imaginary line running north to south that is used as a reference line for astronomical observations. By noting the exact time each star crosses the meridian, it's possible to build up an accurate map of the sky. Meridian lines also help to measure distances and plot locations here on Earth by offering a way to determine longitude.
To pinpoint exactly where you are in the world, you need to know both your latitude and longitude. Latitude is a calculation of how far north or south you are from a common reference line. Longitude is how far east or west you are. Latitude is (relatively) easy; the equator runs around the middle of Earth, dividing the northern and southern hemisph...
Any north-south line can be a meridian. A prime meridian, however, is the meridian chosen to be zero degrees longitude for common reference: the line from which all locations east and west can be measured. For centuries, people have chosen different meridians to be their prime meridian. The collections at Royal Museums Greenwichinclude many example...
The Prime Meridian is the imaginary line that separates the eastern and western hemispheres and defines zero degrees longitude. Learn how it was chosen to be in Greenwich, UK, and how it is used for navigation, time and space.
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Meridian, imaginary north–south line on the Earth’s surface that connects both geographic poles; it is used to indicate longitude. The 40th meridian, for example, has a longitude of 40° E or 40° W. See latitude and longitude. The prime meridian is zero degrees longitude and divides Earth into the
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Aug 31, 2018 · The Prime Meridian is the universally decided zero longitude, an imaginary north/south line which bisects the world into two and begins the universal day. The line starts at the north pole, passes across the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, and ends at the south pole. Its existence is purely abstract, but it is a globally-unifying line ...
- Matt Rosenberg
The Greenwich meridian, also known as the prime meridian, is an imaginary line that passes through Greenwich, London, and terminates at the poles. It was established in 1851 as the international standard of longitude and time, but it was superseded by the International Reference Meridian in 1984.
Oct 19, 2023 · The prime meridian is the line of 0° longitude, the starting point for measuring distance both east and west around Earth. The prime meridian is arbitrary, meaning it could be chosen to be anywhere. Any line of longitude (a meridian) can serve as the 0° longitude line. However, there is an international agreement that the meridian that runs ...
