Enter two points as latitude and longitude, paste them from a map, or pick a city. You get the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface (as the crow flies), the compass direction from the first point to the second, and the halfway point.
The main figure is measured on the WGS-84 ellipsoid, the same model of the Earth that GPS uses, using Vincenty’s formula, which is accurate to within millimetres. The haversine figure treats the Earth as a perfect sphere (radius 6,371 km) and can differ by up to about 0.5%.
Auckland to Sydney is about 2,160 km (1,340 miles) in a straight line, setting off just north of due west (272°). The bearing changes along the way because the shortest path over a globe is a curve on a flat map, which is why the bearing on arrival is shown too.
Latitude runs from −90 (South Pole) to +90 (North Pole); longitude from −180 to +180, with west negative. You can type decimal degrees (−36.8485), degrees-minutes-seconds (36°50′54.6″S), or degrees and decimal minutes (36 50.91 S). A trailing S or W makes the value negative.
In Google Maps, right-click (or long-press on a phone) a spot and the coordinates appear at the top of the menu; tap them to copy. In Apple Maps, drop a pin and swipe up to see them.
The shortest distance between two points over the Earth’s surface, ignoring roads, terrain and obstacles. It’s always shorter than the driving distance and close to what a direct flight covers.
Exactly 1,852 metres, originally one minute of latitude. It’s used in sea and air navigation; 1 nautical mile ≈ 1.151 miles.
The compass direction to set off in from point A to reach point B by the shortest route, measured clockwise from true north: 0° is north, 90° east, 180° south, 270° west.
Type them with or without symbols, e.g. 51°30′26″N, 51 30 26 N or 51:30:26N. Add S or W, or a minus sign, for the southern or western hemisphere.
