Meridian Coordinates [work] Jun 2026

The Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid, meaning it bulges slightly at the equator. This is why the distance represented by a degree of longitude varies. One degree of latitude equals approximately 111 km, but the length of a degree of longitude varies from 111 km at the equator to 0 at the poles, where the meridians converge to a point. In contrast, all meridians are of equal length and converge at the two poles.

This mathematical reality forms the basis of our global time zones. Each standard time zone spans approximately 15 degrees of longitude. When you travel east across meridians, you move forward in time; traveling west moves you backward. Practical Applications Today

Western longitudes are often represented as negative numbers, while Eastern longitudes are positive. meridian coordinates

The Prime Meridian, also known as the Greenwich Meridian, is an imaginary line that passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is designated as 0° longitude and serves as the reference point for all other longitudes. Meridian coordinates are usually expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds, with latitude values ranging from -90° to 90° and longitude values ranging from -180° to 180°.

Meridian coordinates form the foundational framework for global navigation, cartography, and geographic information systems (GIS). By defining positions on a horizontal axis, these imaginary lines allow us to pinpoint any location on Earth with absolute precision. What Are Meridian Coordinates? The Earth is not a perfect sphere but

At its most basic level, a meridian is a great circle on the Earth's surface that passes through the geographic poles. Unlike lines of latitude, which are parallel circles that get smaller as they move away from the equator, all meridians are of equal length. They converge at the poles, creating the segments of the orange-peel structure of the globe. In the system of geographic coordinates, the meridian provides the "x-axis," measuring the angular distance east or west of a reference point. This measurement is known as longitude.

When we look at a map or a globe, we see a grid of intersecting lines. While the horizontal lines (latitudes) tell us how far north or south we are from the Equator, the vertical lines—known as —are what allow us to pinpoint our exact east-west position on the planet. In contrast, all meridians are of equal length

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In technical terms, a meridian coordinate is a precise locational code used to identify an acupuncture point. Unlike a blood draw that targets a vein, or a surgical incision that follows anatomical landmarks, meridian coordinates are defined by proportional measurements .

Longitude is measured from 0° at the Prime Meridian to 180° both East and West.

Meridian coordinates do not just tell us where we are; they also tell us what time it is. Because the Earth rotates 360 degrees every 24 hours, it moves exactly 15 degrees of longitude every single hour (360 divided by 24).