What is Prime Meridian Day?
Prime Meridian Day is commemorated on November 1st, the imaginary line that divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. It's also a good time to learn more about the prime meridian..
You may have taken a map or globe and noticed lines of latitude and longitude on a map or globe. These lines were designed to make it easier to locate certain locations. We use latitude lines to determine a coordinate that is north or south of the equator. To give coordinates east or west of the prime meridian, lines of longitude are used. Hipparchus, a Greek astronomer, first used these lines of latitude and longitude to find a specific location. The Greek astronomer Hipparchus discovered this information first. Hipparchus lived from 190 to 120 BC.
The prime meridian (which is 0 degrees longitude) may have been set somewhere. However, governments of various nations disagreed on the prime meridian's location for many years. For example, mapmakers in France branded the prime meridian in Paris, while the Chinese government released maps with 0 degrees longitude going through Beijing. For example, mapmakers in France branded the prime meridian in Paris. The prime minister's official location in Greenwich, England, wasn't until 1884 that governments from many countries decided on Greenwich, England, not until 1884.
In addition to making travel more convenient, the prime meridian also serves a few other functions. For example, it sets the Coordinated Universal Time. According to Coordinated Universal Time, every country and region measures its time zones according to the Coordinated Universal Time. There are a total of 24 time zones around the world. One more reason for the prime meridian is that it helps establish the International Date Line. This line is located at 180 degrees, marking the Earth's halfway point. You add a day to your trip west past the International Date Line. You subtract a day if you go east from the International Date Line.
