Digital Earth Basics

... here go detailed instructions for student activities

• Identify and show, in ArcGIS/QGIS/Google Earth, two (whole number, integer) meridians and two parallels around a city of your choice, e.g. Bishkek.
• Calculate the great circle distance between any two cities of your choice, e.g. Bishkek and Salzburg, and document how you did this. Compare with Euclidean / Pythangorean distance in a(ny) map projection
• ...

(AP)

• Why is there a need for different ellipsoids in spatial reference systems? Discuss why we do not use just one global specification!
• Briefly define the measurements of latitude and longitude as angular measures, including the need for an origin for these coordinates.
• Define, in your own words, 'great circle' vs 'small circle'? How can you define the geometry and main characteristic of a 'great circle'?