What are latitude and longitude lines also called?

Ever wonder how we pinpoint exact locations on our big, round planet? Well, it all comes down to a clever grid system made up of imaginary lines called latitude and longitude. Think of them as Earth’s address system! This grid, officially known as a graticule, helps us create a geographic coordinate system (GCS) – a fancy term for how we measure and talk about positions directly on the Earth’s surface.

Now, let’s dive into latitude. These lines, running east to west, are more commonly known as parallels, or parallels of latitude. The most famous one? That’s the Equator, of course! It’s the zero-degree line that splits our world into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. You can measure latitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds, or even in decimal degrees if you’re feeling techy. We’re talking from 0° at the Equator all the way up to 90° North and 90° South at the poles. Easy peasy! So, if you’re chilling at, say, 45° N, you’re somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. Pretty cool, huh? And hey, there are some special latitude lines to remember, like the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, and the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. They mark important boundaries for things like sunlight and climate.

What about longitude? These lines run from the North Pole to the South Pole, and we call them meridians, or meridians of longitude. The big cheese here is the Prime Meridian. It runs through Greenwich, England, and marks our zero-degree point for longitude. Just like latitude, we measure longitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds, or decimal degrees. You’ll go from 0° at the Prime Meridian all the way to 180° East and 180° West. So, if you’re hanging out at 90° W, you’re somewhere in the Americas. And just a fun fact: the 180th meridian? That’s directly opposite the Prime Meridian on the other side of the world. So, next time you need to find a place on Earth, remember those latitude and longitude lines. They’re the key to unlocking our planet’s secrets!