The ability to read a map is a very interesting and useful activity. Today, when using innovative technologies you can virtually visit any corner of the world, possession of such skills is very rare. Geographic latitude is studied in the school curriculum, but without constant practice it is impossible to consolidate the theoretical knowledge obtained in the general education course. Cartographic skills not only develop spatial thinking and imagination, but are also a necessary basis for many complex disciplines. Those wishing to acquire the profession of navigator, surveyor, architect and military must simply know the basic principles of working with a map and plan. Determining geographic latitude is an indispensable skill that a real travel enthusiast and just an educated person should possess.
globe
Before proceeding to the algorithm for determining geographical values, it is necessary to become more familiar with the globe and the map. Because it is on them that you have to train your skills. A globe is a scaled-down model of our Earth, which depicts its surface. The author of the very first model is considered M. Behaim - the creator of the famous "Earth apple" in the 15th century. The history of the development of cartographic knowledge also has information about other famous globes.
- Multi-touch. This interactive model is a modern invention that allows you to “visit” anywhere in the world without spending a lot of time and effort!
- Heavenly. This globe shows the location of the cosmic bodies - mirror. After all, when we admire the beautiful night sky, we are "inside" the dome, and we are forced to look at this globe from the outside!
- One of the collectors - S. Missine - has a North American globe carved from an ostrich egg. This is one of the very first maps of this continent.
On the globe, you can accurately determine the geographical latitude, because it has the least distortion. But for greater reliability, it is necessary to use a special flexible ruler.
Cards
The globe is not very convenient to take with you on a trip, besides it becomes all the more useless the smaller its size. And over time, people began to use the card. Of course, it has more errors, since it is very difficult to reliably depict the convex shape of the Earth on a sheet of paper, but is more convenient and easy to use. Maps have several classifications, but we will focus on their differences in scale, since we are talking about acquiring skills in determining coordinates.
- Large scale. These are called drawings with a scale (M) from 1: 100 000 to 1:10 000. If the card has M 1: 5 000, and larger, then it is already called a plan.
- Medium-sized. So called drawings of the Earth's surface, which have MM from 1: 1 000 000 to 1: 200 000.
- Small scale. These are drawings with M 1: 1 000 000 or less, for example - MM 1: 2 000 000, 1:50 000 000, etc.
On a large-scale map, geographic latitude is most easily determined, since the image is applied to it in more detail. This is due to the fact that the lines of the degree grid are located at a small distance.
Geographic latitude
This is the name of the angle between the zero parallel and the vertical line at a given point. The resulting value can only be within 90 degrees. It is important to remember: the equator divides our Earth into the southern and northern hemispheres. Therefore, the latitude of all points of the Earth that are located above the longest parallel will be north, and below - south. How to determine the geographical latitude of an object? You need to carefully look at what parallel it is located. If it is not indicated, then it is necessary to calculate what is the distance between adjacent lines and determine the degree of the desired parallel.
Geographic longitude
This is the angle between the plane of the meridian of a particular point on the Earth and the zero meridian, which is called Greenwich. All objects located to the right of it are considered eastern, and to the left - western. Longitude shows on which meridian the desired object is located. If the determined point is not located on the meridian indicated on the map, then we proceed in the same way as in the case of determining the necessary parallel.
Geographic address
It is available at any object on our Earth. The intersection of parallels and meridians on a map or globe is called a grid (degree), by which the coordinates of the desired point are determined. Knowing them, you can not only determine the place where the object is located, but also relate its position to others. Having information about the geographical address of a particular point, you can correctly draw the boundaries of territories on contour maps.
Five main latitudes
On any map, the main parallels are highlighted, which facilitate the determination of coordinates. The territories that are between these main latitudinal lines, depending on the location, can be included in the following areas: Arctic, tropics, equatorial and temperate.
- The equator is the longest parallel. The length of lines located above or below it becomes shorter to the poles. What is the geographic latitude of the equator? It is equal to 0 degrees, since it is considered the reference point of the parallels to the north and south. Territories that are located from the equator to the tropics are called equatorial regions.
- The northern tropic is the main parallel that is always noted on the world maps of the Earth. It is located at 23 degrees 26 minutes and 16 seconds north of the equator. Another name for this parallel is the Tropic of Cancer.
- The southern tropic is a parallel, which is located at 23 degrees 26 minutes and 16 seconds south of the equator. It also has a second name - Tropic of Capricorn. The territories that are located between these lines and the equator are called tropical regions.
- The Arctic Circle is located above the equator at 66 degrees 33 minutes and 44 seconds. It limits the territory beyond which the time of night increases, closer to the pole it reaches 40 days.
- Southern Arctic Circle. Its geographical latitude is 66 degrees 33 minutes and 44 seconds. This parallel is also the boundary beyond which phenomena such as polar night and day begin. The territories that are located between these lines and the tropics are called temperate areas, and beyond them - polar.