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Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 17:48:31 -0500 (EST)
From: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Fw: GIS in the News! <fwd>
Sender: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>


I will leave alone the notion that Peters' projection is an acceptable
alternative to the Mercator projection. I respond to the parenthetical
note that Mercator projection was 'actually' invented by Kremer.  Gerhard
Kramer created a map world map using a cylindrical projection, which
appeared in the first 'atlases', that is bound sets of maps.  His name
appears on the map as Mercator, because that is the Latin form of his
surname, which means merchant, as does Kramer in German and
Netherlandish.  So the Mercator projection was invented by Kramer because
they were the same guy!

There has been discussion before about why the cylindrical projection was
used on world maps.  This reason had nothing to do at the time with how
land areas are portrayed.  It has to do with the fact that great circle
routes, including meridians, appear as straight lines.  And the
meridians also appear at right angles to the lines of latitude.  In other
words, its graticule is a grid! (reference to discussion about latitude
and longitude ;} .)   This fact makes  a map on such a projection most
useful indeed for navigational purposes, as the navigator can show her or
his route as a straight line drawn with the straight edge, and can then
report the bearings with a great deal of accuracy to the master on the
bridge of the vessel.


On Tue, 27 Feb 2001, Johnnie Sutherland wrote:

> >
> > Does the Mercator Projection commonly used for school and other mass
> > consumption maps (but invented by Gerhard Kremer in the 16th Century as an
> > aid to maritime navigation) give us a distorted view of our importance in
> > the world?  Check it out at
>


___________________________
Ken Grabach                           <[log in to unmask]>
Maps Librarian                         Phone: 513-529-1726
Miami University Libraries
Oxford, Ohio  45056  USA
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