Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > TravelBuzz
Reload this Page >

Why does this great circle bend?

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Why does this great circle bend?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 18, 2017 | 12:44 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
500k
30 Countries Visited
40 Nights
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 12,083
Why does this great circle bend?

Plotting AKL-SVQ on an azimuthal equidistant map yields a bend. Does anybody know why?

Sixth Freedom is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017 | 2:02 pm
  #2  
30 Countries Visited
Community Builder
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Silver. (Former UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat)
Posts: 9,535
Because the destination is beyond the "horizon" and wouldn't normally be seen from that point of view. The ground beyond the horizon is being displayed on that map in a very compressed scale so that the destination will be included.
LarryJ is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017 | 4:48 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
500k
30 Countries Visited
40 Nights
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 12,083
Originally Posted by LarryJ
Because the destination is beyond the "horizon" and wouldn't normally be seen from that point of view. The ground beyond the horizon is being displayed on that map in a very compressed scale so that the destination will be included.
Surely the whole point of the azimuthal equidistant map is that there is no horizon?

Sixth Freedom is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017 | 4:59 pm
  #4  
30 Countries Visited
Community Builder
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Silver. (Former UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat)
Posts: 9,535
Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom
Surely the whole point of the azimuthal equidistant map is that there is no horizon?
That's why I put it in quotes.

That view would normally only show you half of the globe. To show more, the area near the outer edges is significantly distorted.
LarryJ is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017 | 6:55 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
40 Countries Visited
5M
100 Nights
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus, HH Gold, Hertz PC, National Executive, etc.
Posts: 31,670
gcmap.com's azimuthal equidistant map algorithm isn't perfectly accurate at the extreme edges. That would be my guess. Google says you're at 49.76% of the earth's diameter, so you're stretching the limits.
CPRich is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017 | 7:16 pm
  #6  
20 Nights
20 Countries Visited
1M
5 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,958
Looks like a perspective issue to me, due to centering your starting point on the map. If you could rotate the image so that the map was centered somewhere around Bermuda, it would very likely display as a smooth arc.

Like this: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=akl-svq...505%B0+W&DU=mi

Last edited by Qwkynuf; Jul 18, 2017 at 7:18 pm Reason: Added link to recentered map
Qwkynuf is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017 | 7:59 pm
  #7  
All eyes on you!
10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 502
61N65W center gets you a straight line.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=akl-svq...C=61N65W&DU=mi
RandomNobody is offline  
Old Jul 19, 2017 | 10:01 am
  #8  
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
500k
30 Countries Visited
40 Nights
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 12,083
Originally Posted by LarryJ
To show more, the area near the outer edges is significantly distorted.
After pondering I see this now.

Theoretically an antipode would be a continuous point extending all the way around the edge of the circle.

Thanks!

Sixth Freedom is offline  
Old Jul 19, 2017 | 3:22 pm
  #9  
50 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Obwalden, CH
Programs: FB LT Plat, BA LTG, LH HON
Posts: 298
Well bang goes my flat earth theory
FatnLoud is offline  
Old Jul 20, 2017 | 2:01 am
  #10  
All eyes on you!
10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: next to HAM
Programs: LH M+M
Posts: 974
Better view on it http://www.greatcirclemap.com/AKL-SVQ
PAX_fips is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.