Distance Between Two Points Calculator Latitude Longitude

Haversine Formula:

\[ Distance = 2R \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin²\left(\frac{\Delta lat}{2}\right) + \cos(lat_1)\cos(lat_2)\sin²\left(\frac{\Delta lon}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Latitude Point 1:

degrees

Longitude Point 1:

degrees

Latitude Point 2:

degrees

Longitude Point 2:

degrees

Distance:

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1. What is the Haversine Formula?

The Haversine formula calculates the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere given their longitudes and latitudes. It's particularly useful for calculating distances between geographic coordinates on Earth.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

\[ Distance = 2R \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin²\left(\frac{\Delta lat}{2}\right) + \cos(lat_1)\cos(lat_2)\sin²\left(\frac{\Delta lon}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Where:

\( R \) — Earth's radius (6371 km)
\( lat_1, lat_2 \) — Latitude of points 1 and 2 in radians
\( lon_1, lon_2 \) — Longitude of points 1 and 2 in radians
\( \Delta lat \) — Difference in latitude between the two points
\( \Delta lon \) — Difference in longitude between the two points

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of Earth and provides accurate distance calculations along the great-circle path.

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation between geographic coordinates is essential for navigation, mapping, logistics, travel planning, and geographic information systems (GIS).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude values between -90° and 90°, longitude values between -180° and 180°. Use decimal degrees format for precise calculations.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: The Haversine formula provides very accurate results for most practical purposes, with errors typically less than 0.5% for distances up to 20,000 km.

Q2: What is the difference between Haversine and Vincenty formulas?
A: Vincenty's formulae are more accurate and account for Earth's ellipsoidal shape, while Haversine assumes a perfect sphere. Vincenty is more complex but more precise.

Q3: Can I calculate distance in miles instead of kilometers?
A: Yes, simply multiply the result by 0.621371 to convert kilometers to miles, or use Earth's radius in miles (3959) in the calculation.

Q4: What is the maximum distance this calculator can handle?
A: The calculator can handle any distance on Earth's surface, but for antipodal points (exactly opposite sides), special consideration may be needed.

Q5: Why use great-circle distance instead of straight line?
A: Great-circle distance represents the shortest path between two points on a sphere, which is curved rather than straight due to Earth's spherical shape.