OK. Don’t go psycho on me if I’m wrong here. I’m just asking questions. It seems to me that the curvature math would have to be different if you are looking east-west on the various lines of latitude because the circumference would be more shallow than if you were at the equator or looking at any other direction apart from due east-west. For example, on my Lake Michigan test, we were on the 41.5 degree latitude. At that latitude, the circumference of the globe is not 24,874 miles. Rather, it is 18,630 miles, which would seem to require a much greater curvature than the usual 8 in. per mile squared. I’m not very mathematical, so if I am wrong, please tell me why – nicely. 🙂
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definitely wrong.. i hope you can take a science class. you have a science education level of a 3rd grader. the good news is that ignorance can be taught, stupidity is forever. i think you are intelligent man, but very misguided.
Rob, you never cease to amaze me. we live on a ball, you are looking at a higher latitude line, and following that latitude line, you are looking at a curve NOT a straight line. you can go anywhere on the globe an look straight out and you will end up at the same spot after traveling 25,000miles. you cant look at curvature, unless you see the curve of the earth, by making a big circle.which you dont. take off at at alaska, point toward the soviet union and you end up going south past the SU, and go way down south, you DONT follow the latitude lines. that only happens at the equator. you really must be pulling our legs. you cant be that stupid!
+Rob Skiba What you are saying doesn't make sense. It's good to ask questions, but just think about it. Why would your latitude affect the curvature of a globe. Latitude only has meaning relative to the Earth's axis of rotation, but rotation doesn't affect the Earth's curvature. When looking for the curvature, you always use a great circle, as it is the path that would best follow your line of sight. Rhumb lines don't.
The great circle path also keeps the same heading for short distances, so you wouldn't notice any change in that. So the Curvature is still 8 inches per mile squared or 6.5 inches per mile squared with refraction.
Hey, go up to latitude 89 degrees 59 minutes. The latitude circle is radius 1 nautical mile, so it's 6.28 nautical miles around. Is that the circumference of the globe at that latitude? Think about it, Rob.
What program are you using for your presentation?