Distance Between Two Coordinates Calculator

Haversine Formula:

\[ d = 2r \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin^2\left(\frac{\phi_2 - \phi_1}{2}\right) + \cos(\phi_1) \times \cos(\phi_2) \times \sin^2\left(\frac{\lambda_2 - \lambda_1}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Latitude 1:

Longitude 1:

Latitude 2:

Longitude 2:

Unit:

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 accurate for calculating distances between points on the Earth's surface.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

\[ d = 2r \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin^2\left(\frac{\phi_2 - \phi_1}{2}\right) + \cos(\phi_1) \times \cos(\phi_2) \times \sin^2\left(\frac{\lambda_2 - \lambda_1}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Where:

\( d \) — Distance between the two points
\( r \) — Radius of the Earth (6371 km)
\( \phi_1, \phi_2 \) — Latitude of point 1 and point 2 in radians
\( \lambda_1, \lambda_2 \) — Longitude of point 1 and point 2 in radians

Explanation: The formula accounts for the curvature of the Earth to provide accurate distance measurements between any two points on the globe.

3. Importance of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation between coordinates is essential for navigation, logistics, geographic analysis, and many scientific applications.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter coordinates in decimal degrees (e.g., 40.7128° N, 74.0060° W as 40.7128 and -74.0060). Latitude ranges from -90 to 90, longitude from -180 to 180.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How accurate is this calculator?
A: The Haversine formula provides very accurate results for most practical purposes, typically within 0.5% of the actual distance.

Q2: What's the difference between great-circle and rhumb line distance?
A: Great-circle distance is the shortest path between two points on a sphere, while rhumb line maintains a constant bearing.

Q3: Can I use this for very short distances?
A: For distances less than 1km, planar approximation might be more appropriate, but this calculator will still work.

Q4: Does altitude affect the calculation?
A: No, this formula assumes points are on the Earth's surface. For significant altitude differences, additional calculations would be needed.

Q5: What's the maximum distance this can calculate?
A: The formula works for any distance up to half the Earth's circumference (about 20,000 km).