GEOG 1700 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Map Projection, Geographic Coordinate System
Document Summary
A map projection is any method used in cartography. Cartography: the study of making and understanding maps: map theory, data presentation, and design. Map projection: the earth is 3-dimensional and nearly a sphere. We need to project information from the sphere onto flat maps which causes distorito. The projection you choose will make these factors greater or less than on the globe. Distortion is less for smaller areas, greater for larger areas. Google earth is a virtual map because it is online. Google earth is actually a spherical representation of the earth so it does not project/distort spatial relationships. The graticule shows increments of latitude and longitude. Coordinates: we describe absolute location on the earth using coordinates. The most common coordinate system is the geographic coordinate system which identifies location based on latitude and longitude. A line of latitude is a circle representing a constant angle from the plane of the equator.
