|| Starpath online classroom || Celestial Navigation Glossary || Glossary Index || Home ||

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

great circle direction Horizontal direction of a great circle route, expressed as angular distance from a reference direction, usually north. Often this name is restricted to the initial heading of the great circle route at its departure point, which will always be on the pole side of the rhumb line route between the same two points. When an app computers grat circle range and bearing between two point, that bearing is this initial heading, which will change as you proceed along the great circle route.

[close window]