Lat/Lon distance question

[Diver1111]

Can somebody tell me how far apart-in feet-two objects are given the following Lat/Lon specs.

Lat/Lon format I'm using is xx yy.zzz

Object #1 48 36.579 / 77 23.319

Object #2 48 36.568 / 77 27.359

When I hike I use the UTM/Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system in the GPS-one convenient increment: meters, so you can tell exactly how far something is. Not so here at least I don't have a mind for the whole Lat/Lon thing and it variations.

Thanks.

[SteveA]

I used the numbers from the post and the ruler function on Google Earth, I added the N and W to the numbers you posted.

Frame of reference, these co-ordinates are in Canada

5239

[Slickcraft]

We also use UTM on the GPS when hiking, easy to locate on the topo map.

To solve your geometry problem convert your lat/long to UTM, many sites out there such as http://www.rcn.montana.edu/resources/tools/coordinates.aspx and
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/utm_getut.prl

Assuming your data is in degrees; decimal minutes format I get (subject to keyboard errors)
a distance of 4,964.9 meters (16,289 feet) at a bearing of 88.4 degrees.

[SteveA]

The way I did it was just using the ruler tool on Google earth and came up with the 16,181 shown in the clip I added. Definitely not an exact number because I'm just dragging it from point to point. Not very exact. :rolleye2:

I'd say his is likely right on the money.

[Rusty]

The way I did it was just using the ruler tool on Google earth and came up with the 16,181 shown in the clip I added. Definitely not an exact number because I'm just dragging it from point to point. Not very exact. :rolleye2:

I'd say his is likely right on the money.

I like the way that you did it.....pretty clever!!

[bkgoodman]

In case you need to know - this is called a "Great Circle Distance" - as you are finding a distance between two points on a sphere. (Actually, an ellipsoid, but I'm assuming you don't need to be that accurate.)

I calculated a distance of 4.950 km or 16,240 feet.

Quick calculator is:

http://www.movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong.html

[Kamper]

If you trust the "meters" result, multiply X39 1/3, then divide by 12.

[Diver1111]

Thank you all-very helpful.

[NoBozo]

Nautical Charts have the degrees, minutes and seconds ticked off..both across the bottom of the chart..look for the tick marks...AND vertically along the sides of the chart.

I can't speak for Topo Charts.

ONE Degree of Latitude..that's on the SIDE of the chart running vertically along the side ..represents 60 Nautical Miles..which is somewhat more than a LAND Mile. SO: One Minute of Latitude would be ONE Mile.

There is a conversion for Nautical miles to Land miles.

You can take a pair of "dividers" and measure off the Minutes from the Side of the chart and then "take off" the distance with the dividers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dividers#Divider_caliper.. and measure in any direction to measure distance for short distances..hundreds of miles..?

This.....with todays technology..is unnecessary.

One minute of Latitude = one nautical mile...absolute...

I learned this from my Study and Practice of Celestial Navigation in the late Seventy's... :) NB

PS: I have pondered (days) whether to respond to this thread because the topic is "Technical" and I probably would not be able to describe it in "Ley" terms. Nobody does Celestial Navigation anymore.

Post Note: I could explain the Miles..Vs Nautical Miles..MPH...Vs Knots...it's all wrapped up in conversions.......but it would just get worse..........:) :)

[Slickcraft]

IMHO the UTM system is the easiest to use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Transverse_Mercator_coordinate_system

It was developed by the Army and is still used by the artillery folk.

The easterly is meters east of a reference line within one of sixty zones. The northerly is simply meters north of the equator. The grid on a USGS TOPO map is a square kilometer grid with the UTM coordinates noted at each grid line.

I can't see why anyone would want to use a lat/long system in the field.