Category: Longitude
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Centre of Australia
Do you notice anything remarkable about this little patch? It seems like this must be the middle of nowhere, just a sea of red soil and desert scrub removed from any hospitable place. However, according to some calculations, this is the centre of Australia. Am I the last one on the planet to know that…
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The 45X90 Spot
A spot in the middle of a soybean field in north-central Wisconsin marks a confluence of great significance to people who appreciate strange geography. Two invisible lines cross near the small town of Poniatowski; one representing 45 degrees north latitude and one representing 90 degrees west longitude. The importance of this particular latitude is perhaps…
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Gambling Banned in Nevada!… (in tiny pockets)
Think of Nevada and the cacophony of Las Vegas springs to mind as a reflex.[1] It’s a familiar refrain that repeats across hundreds of desert towns large and small. Envision a symbiotic intertwining of a state economy and a robust gaming industry. Entire towns have even blossomed simply to entice the residents of stricter states…
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Mac and Cheese
I’ve gone Mac! Actually it happened a few weeks ago but it took me a little while to feel proficient. Even so, I don’t want to turn this into a Mac versus PC discussion. People make choices based on personal preferences and that’s fine. Instead, I’ll focus on a couple of different mapping features I’ve…
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Colorado is NOT a Rectangle
Take a look at Colorado. Go ahead, stare at it for awhile. How would you describe its shape? Here’s the question: (a) It’s a rectangle. (b) It’s not a Rectangle I’ve already given you the answer and it’s not a trick question so there’s no way you can earn anything less than an A+ on…
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Glasgow or Madrid?
Think quickly: Which city is further west, Glasgow, Scotland or Madrid, Spain? If you’re a cynic like me you’d guess Madrid. Of course, you’d figure it was a trick question whether you “knew” the answer or not. You’d also be wrong. Glasgow is indeed further west than Madrid. However, if I substituted Edinburgh, Scotland for…
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(West) Wendover: What Time? What State?
It’s my lucky day. I found both a time zone anomaly and a (potential) border anomaly all wrapped up into one neat little package. Even more exciting, if the border does change then the two anomalies will occur in opposite directions! Those of you who have spent any time on the Twelve Mile Circle realize…
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Vanishing South Georgia
Recently I found myself pondering maps of the Savannah River south of Augusta. I wandered virtually among the oxbow lakes perched amid the Georgia – South Carolina border. Don’t bother asking why. By now you surely know that’s this is what passes for “fun” here on Twelve Mile Circle. Then a strange object arose as…
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Aurora: A County Seat in Two States. Simultaneously!
Nobody lives in Aurora today although upwards of five thousand people called it home immediately after its founding in 1860. No less a luminary than Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) called Aurora his home for several months during his mining days. It was a vibrant, successful town along the Nevada / California border. Both states claimed…
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The Erie Triangle
If one ponders a map of the United State’s and focuses on one of its four Commonwealths, specifically Pennsylvania, one will notice something a bit odd with its borders. The northern, southern and western borders all form straight lines of exact longitude or latitude. However there’s an exception, a little notch at the far northwestern…