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grid systemclick to hear

Collective term for the parallels and meridians that form an imaginary grid over the Earth’s surface, making it possible to locate a specific point.
grid system line of longitude Western meridian prime meridian Eastern meridian line of latitude Arctic Circle Equator Tropic of Capricorn parallel Tropic of Cancer Antarctic Circle

line of longitude click to hear

Coordinate of a point on the Earth’s surface indicating, in degrees, its distance from the prime meridian.

Western meridian click to hear

Imaginary line connecting the poles and perpendicular to the Equator; located west of the Greenwich meridian.

prime meridian click to hear

Chosen by convention as the meridian of origin; its longitude, 0, divides the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

Eastern meridian click to hear

Imaginary line connecting the poles and perpendicular to the Equator; located east of the Greenwich meridian.

line of latitude click to hear

Coordinate of a point on the Earth’s surface indicating, in degrees, its distance from the Equator.

Arctic Circle click to hear

Parallel of latitude 66°34' N; it marks the polar zone, where days and nights last 24 hours during solstices.

Equator click to hear

Imaginary line encircling the Earth at its greatest circumference and perpendicular to the polar axis; its latitude, 0, serves as a reference point for calculating other latitudes.

Tropic of Capricorn click to hear

Parallel located at 23°26' N latitude (a distance of about 1,600 mi from the Equator).

parallel click to hear

Imaginary circle whose plane is parallel to the Equator.

Tropic of Cancer click to hear

Parallel located at 23°26' N latitude (a distance of about 1,600 mi from the Equator).

Antarctic Circle click to hear

Parallel of latitude at 66°34' S; it marks the polar zone, where days and nights last 24 hours during solstices.