Meridian
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Meridian
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A north-south reference line, particularly a great
circle through the geographical poles of the earth. The term usually
refers to the upper
branch, that half, from pole to pole, which passes through a given place,
the other half being called the lower branch. See coordinate,
table.
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A terrestrial meridian is a meridian of the earth. Sometimes designated
true meridian to distinguish it from magnetic meridian, compass
meridian, or grid meridian, the north-south lines relative to magnetic,
compass, or grid direction, respectively. An astronomical meridian is a line
connecting points having the same astronomical longitude. A geodetic meridian
is a line connecting points of equal geodetic longitude. Geodetic and
sometimes astronomical meridians are also called geographic meridians.
Geodetic meridians are shown on charts. The prime meridian passes through
longitude 0�. A fictitious meridian is one of a series of great circles or
lines used in place of a meridian for certain purposes. A transverse or
inverse meridian is a great circle perpendicular to a transverse equator. An
oblique meridian is a great circle perpendicular to an oblique equator. Any
meridian used as a reference for reckoning time is called a time meridian. The
meridian through any particular place or observer, serving as the reference
for local time, is called local meridian, in contrast with the
Greenwich meridian, the reference for Greenwich time. A celestial sphere,
through the celestial poles and the zenith. [[/a>|/a>
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References
This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use
