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great circle
 great circlea sphere with three great circles showngreat circlen.1. A circle described by the intersection of the surface of a sphere with a plane passing through the center of the sphere.2. A segment of such a circle representing the shortest distance between two terrestrial points.great circle n (Mathematics) a circular section of a sphere that has a radius equal to that of the sphere. Compare small circle great′ cir′cle
n. 1. a circle on a sphere such that the plane containing the circle passes through the center of the sphere. 2. a circle of which a segment represents the shortest distance between two points on the surface of the earth. [1585–95] great circle (grāt) A circle on the surface of a sphere whose plane passes through the center of the sphere. The Earth's equator is a great circle on the sphere of the globe.great circle - Any circle on the surface of a sphere that lies on a plane through its center, or a circle that divides into two equal parts—as the Equator.See also related terms for sphere.Thesaurus| Noun | 1. |  great circle - a circular line on the surface of a sphere formed by intersecting it with a plane passing through the centercelestial equator, equinoctial, equinoctial circle, equinoctial line - the great circle on the celestial sphere midway between the celestial polesecliptic - the great circle representing the apparent annual path of the sun; the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun; makes an angle of about 23 degrees with the equator; "all of the planets rotate the sun in approximately the same ecliptic"equator - an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant from the north and south poles; "the equator is the boundary between the northern and southern hemispheres"celestial horizon, horizon - the great circle on the celestial sphere whose plane passes through the sensible horizon and the center of the Earthhour circle - a great circle on the celestial sphere that passes through both celestial polesline - a spatial location defined by a real or imaginary unidimensional extentline of longitude, meridian - an imaginary great circle on the surface of the earth passing through the north and south poles at right angles to the equator; "all points on the same meridian have the same longitude"vertical circle - a great circle on the celestial sphere passing through the zenith and perpendicular to the horizon |
great circle
great circle Geometry a circular section of a sphere that has a radius equal to that of the sphere great circle The circular intersection on the surface of a sphere of any plane passing through the center of the sphere. A sphere and its great circles are thus concentric and of equal radius. Compare small circle.Great Circle (religion, spiritualism, and occult)A great circle is any circle drawn on a sphere, the plane of which also passes through the inside of the sphere. Great circles are the basis of various systems for locating terrestrial and celestial bodies in terms of sets of coordinates expressed in degrees of a circle. Longitude and latitude are the most familiar of these coordinates. Astrology utilizes several systems of celestial coordinates. Parallel to the manner in which terrestrial coordinates are great circles drawn on the surface of Earth, celestial coordinates are great circles drawn on the inside of the celestial sphere. The ecliptic, the celestial equator, and the prime vertical are examples of some of the great circles used in astrology. great circle[′grāt ¦sər·kəl] (geodesy) A circle, or near circle, described on the earth's surface by a plane passing through the center of the earth. (mathematics) The circle on the two-sphere produced by a plane passing through the center of the sphere. great circle Two great circle in a sphere.A circle on the surface of the sphere (earth) whose center and radii are those of the sphere itself. Only one great circle may be drawn through two places that are not diametrically opposite on the surface of a sphere. The shortest distance between any two points on the surface is the smaller arc of the great circle joining them. An aircraft following a great circle (other than directly true north or south) will have to alter course constantly. The intersection of a sphere and a plane that does not pass through its center is called a small circle.See GC
See GTCLgreat circle
Related to great circle: Great circle route, Great circle sailing, Great circle distanceWords related to great circlenoun a circular line on the surface of a sphere formed by intersecting it with a plane passing through the centerRelated Words- celestial equator
- equinoctial
- equinoctial circle
- equinoctial line
- ecliptic
- equator
- celestial horizon
- horizon
- hour circle
- line
- line of longitude
- meridian
- vertical circle
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