Laiusarvutus

Laiusarvutus refers to the process of calculating or determining the latitude of a celestial body or a point on Earth. In astronomy, this typically involves observing the altitude of a star or planet above the horizon and using established astronomical methods to derive its latitude. This can be done using instruments like sextants or transit telescopes. For Earth, latitude is a crucial geographical coordinate, defining a point's north-south position relative to the Equator. Calculating Earth's latitude historically involved celestial observations, such as measuring the angle of Polaris (the North Star) above the horizon, which closely approximates the observer's latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. Modern methods for determining latitude on Earth are far more precise, relying on GPS and other satellite navigation systems, which triangulate a position using signals from multiple satellites. The concept of latitude is fundamental to navigation, cartography, and understanding celestial mechanics. It is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds, with the Equator being 0 degrees latitude and the poles being 90 degrees north and 90 degrees south latitude.