Lengdegraden

Lengdegraden, also known as meridians, are imaginary lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole on the Earth's surface. They are used to measure longitude, which is the angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England, is the reference point for measuring longitude. It is designated as 0 degrees longitude. The other side of the Earth, the International Date Line, is 180 degrees longitude. There are 360 degrees in a full circle, so there are 180 degrees of longitude to the east of the Prime Meridian and 180 degrees to the west. Each degree of longitude is further divided into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds. The distance between each degree of longitude decreases as one moves towards the poles, with the distance being zero at the poles. This is because the Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid, slightly flattened at the poles and slightly bulging at the equator. Lengdegraden are crucial for navigation, cartography, and understanding the Earth's geography. They help in determining time zones and are used in various fields such as astronomy, geology, and meteorology.