Great Circles, Small Circles: Parts

& Measurements

Prelim Week 2
NAV-1 (Terrestrial and Coastal Navigation 1)
 At the end of the lesson the students
will be able to:
Identify the different parts of the great circle and its
measurements

Learning Solve for the difference of latitude and the difference of

longitude

outcomes
 0 Great circle and small circle
CONT
ENTS
1
02 difference of latitude

03 difference of longitude
 01
Great circle
and small
circle
INTRODUCT
ION
In 1849, Dr. Samuel Birley Rowbotham
published the pamphlet “Zetetic
Astronomy: Earth Not a Globe” in
which he asserted that the Earth is an
enclosed plane, surrounded by the ice
of Antarctica and suspended over which
are the stars, the Sun, the Moon and the
planets.
INTRODUCT
ION
Cartography is based on the assumption
that the world is not flat but an oblate
spheroid. The challenge for the
mapmaker is how to project that sphere
onto a flat surface. In every case,
projection involves distortion. The
inevitable twisting and stretching
distorts the original shape. And so it
goes with the Earth.
 Great circle and small circle
01 parts of the great circle and its measurements

If you cut the sphere with a plane through its

center, that plane intersects through the
sphere’s surface forming a great circle. This
is the largest circle you can draw on a sphere.
If that plane does not pass through the center,
that is called a small circle.

There are two great circles that are reference

for measurements - the equator and the prime
meridian.

Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-

navigation/
 Great circle and small circle
01 parts of the great circle and its measurements
equator
The equator is the great
circle which is midway
between the poles.
longitude
The longitude is the angular
distance from the prime
meridian to the meridian
containing the point of
interest measured along the
equator.
Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-
navigation/
Add title text
lattitude
The latitude is the angular
distance, measured along
the meridian, from the
equator to the parallel
which contains the point of
interest.
Prime
Ameridian
prime meridian is the
meridian in a geographic
coordinate system at which
longitude is defined to be
0°.
 02
difference of
latitude
 difference of latitude
02 Examples of difference of latitude

The difference of latitude (abbreviated as d’lat) is the angular length between two parallel measured along the
meridian.

Remember the following rules in calculating d’lat:

• Subtract.
• If arrival is larger than departure, d’lat has the same name.
Same name (Meaning, latitude is increasing.)
• If departure is larger than arrival, d’lat has the opposite name.
(Meaning, latitude is decreasing.)

• Add.
Different name
• Take the name of arrival point.

Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-

navigation/
 difference of latitude
02 Examples of difference of latitude

Step (1). Subtract the larger value with the lesser

one. In this case, departure minus arrival. Deal
with minutes (‘) first. That is 36 minus 24 which
gives us 12.

Step (2). Deal with degrees (°). That is 17 minus

16 which gives us 1. Multiply the difference with
60 to convert it into minutes. This gives us 60.

Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-

navigation/
 difference of latitude
02 Examples of difference of latitude

Step (3). Add the 12′ we solved earlier to 60.

Step (4). This gives us the sum 72‘. The

determine the direction, let’s go back to out rule.
Since departure is larger than arrival, latitude is
decreasing. Hence, direction should be the
opposite which is South.

Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-

navigation/
 03
difference of
longitude
 difference of longitude
03 difference of longitude

The difference of longitude (abbreviated as d’lo or d’long) is the smallest angular distance between two
meridians measured along the equator.

We have the similar rules for d’long except when the computed value exceeds 180°.

• Subtract.
• If arrival is larger than departure, d’lat has the same name.
Same name (Meaning, longitude is increasing.)
• If departure is larger than arrival, d’lat has the opposite name.
(Meaning, longitudeis decreasing.)

• Add and take the name of arrival point.

Different name • However, if the sum is larger than 180°, subtract it from 360°
and change the name.

Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-

navigation/
 difference of longitude
03 Examples of difference of longitude

Step (1). Recall from the rules: Same name,

subtract. Dealing with minutes first, noticed that
10.8 is less than 53.5. Borrow 1° from 125. (1° =
60′). Now we can subtract 53.5 from 70.8 which
gives us 17.3‘. (The figure 124° 70.8’ is the effect
of borrowing 1°.)

Step (2). Subtract 123 from 124. This gives us 1°.

Multiply this with 60 to convert into minutes
giving us 60′.

Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-

navigation/
 difference of longitude
03 Examples of difference of longitude

Step (3). Add the 17.3′ solved earlier.

Step (4). This gives us the d’long 77.3′ E. It is

East because arrival is greater than departure
which also means that longitude is increasing.

Eroles, A. (2021, November 23). Introduction to navigation. Pienso. https://candidaries.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/introduction-to-

navigation/
Lesson
Completed