In the gnomonic projection, with the plane tangent at the equator, which arrangement of grid lines is correct?

Prepare for the Besavilla Cartography Exam. Use interactive tools like flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations to enhance your skills. Get exam ready today!

Multiple Choice

In the gnomonic projection, with the plane tangent at the equator, which arrangement of grid lines is correct?

In a gnomonic projection, great circles map to straight lines, while small circles become curved. Meridians are great circles, so they appear as straight grid lines. Parallels are small circles (except the equator, which is itself a great circle) and thus bend on the map. Since the plane is tangent at the equator, the equator itself projects as a straight line, but other parallels remain curved. Therefore, the correct arrangement is that parallels are curved and meridians are straight.

In a gnomonic projection, great circles map to straight lines, while small circles become curved. Meridians are great circles, so they appear as straight grid lines. Parallels are small circles (except the equator, which is itself a great circle) and thus bend on the map. Since the plane is tangent at the equator, the equator itself projects as a straight line, but other parallels remain curved. Therefore, the correct arrangement is that parallels are curved and meridians are straight.

More practice questions