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- Dictionarygreat circle/ˌɡrāt ˈsərk(ə)l/
noun
- 1. a circle on the surface of a sphere which lies in a plane passing through the sphere's center. As it represents the shortest distance between any two points on a sphere, a great circle of the earth is the preferred route taken by a ship or aircraft.
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A great circle is the largest circle that can be drawn on any given sphere. Any diameter of any great circle coincides with a diameter of the sphere, and therefore every great circle is concentric with the sphere and shares the same radius.
Oct 19, 2023 · A great circle is the largest possible circle that can be drawn around a sphere. Learn how great circles are used for mapping, cutting, and planning routes on Earth and other spheres.
A great circle is a circle drawn on a sphere with a center that includes the center of the sphere. Learn how great circles are used for navigation, how they divide the globe into equal halves, and how they appear on maps.
Jun 21, 2023 · A great circle is a circle on the surface of a sphere that has the same center as the sphere, especially on the surface of the earth. It is the shortest distance between two points on the earth's surface.
Dec 4, 2018 · Any circle that passes through two points that are opposite each other on a sphere. The largest circle that will fit around snuggly a sphere. Imagine a tight hoop that a beachball could only just fit perfectly through. Great circles are longest circles you can draw on a sphere.
Jul 5, 2019 · A great circle is a circle on the globe that cuts the sphere into two equal segments. Planes travel along great circles to save time and distance in 3-dimensional space. Learn more about geodesics, map projections, and flight paths.
Great circle route, the shortest course between two points on the surface of a sphere. It lies in a plane that intersects the sphere’s centre and was known by mathematicians before the time of Columbus. Until the 19th century ships generally sailed along rhumb lines, which made use of prevailing.
