Talk:Mercator projection
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Why do people use this kind of map
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[edit] Image about relationship between latitude and position on map
I think the image that relates latitude on globe to vertical position on map could be improved in two ways. 1. Make it show the complete graph. Neither latitude or vertical position on map are defined to infinity; both are limited. The current image conveys the idea that vertical position on map approaches a limit as latitude tends towards infinity. 2. Change the distance between "ticks" on the vertical axis so that the graph reaches +90 and -90 degrees, instead of current half-pi. Since in navigation, degrees are practicaly ubiquitous, it makes little sense to me to use radians here. I'd be grateful if someone who has software that can make that kind of proffesional looking graph would deal with this. --85.224.196.223 23:02, 16 November 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Headline text
One of the reasons I can rationalize proposing using a Mercator Projection in a recent proposal to map the fields of views that the Hubble Space Telescope has seen is that Mercator projections were used to navigate travel to a point. Faced with the question of how our earth interacts with other planets, galaxies, galaxy clusters, superclusters, asteroids and other objects in its travel around the universe, solar system and galaxy, a map which sees us as navigating our path through the universe is a useful image.
The Mercator Projection is a useful image or story then to assist with navigation, but as this article points out does not accurately reflect the size of areas on earth or on space. It should be said that Mercator had a similar focus to me later in his life. He focused on ideas about the development of everything..I vaguely recall from reading just now at the Univeristy of Chicago Regenstein Library.
James Timothy Struck - moved from the main page.
[edit] Just a question
Sir,
I have longitude and latitude value and just find co-ordinates value in two dimension (x,y). I get one formula but i do not get h or ln value.
formula available in this hyperlink
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercator_Projection"
[edit] That rv might need explanation
Regarding this edit of mine: formula did look wrong, but not because of erroneous input -- "My preferences/[Math] (•) HTML if very simple or else PNG" was at fault. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Saimhe (talk • contribs) 2006-09-28T00:09:21.
[edit] Main Picture
I'm putting forth the suggestion that the main example of the projection used at the top of the page should be changed to something more modern. While the historical map is endearing, it makes it much harder for the reader to quickly absorb the distortions instituted by the mercator projecition.
[edit] Scale
This statement doesn't seem to me to be accurate: "Being a conformal projection, the linear scale does not vary with direction and the angles are preserved around all locations." As I understand it, the only lines of constant scale on a Mercator projection are the parallels. Any line which isn't parallel to the equator varies in scale (the representative fraction gets larger as the latitude gets higher). If I'm missing something, is there a clear way to explain what is meant by "scale does not vary with direction"? - Justin (Authalic) 22:22, 20 February 2007 (UTC)
