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Re: spherical geometry



Now that the previous spherical problems have been mostly put to rest
let me propose another related problem.

Painted on the concrete floor of each of the cells in the Gitmo
detention complex is an arrow. Question: What direction does this
arrow point?

Hint: The Naval base at Guantanamo has latitude 20.1 deg N and
longitude 75.1 deg W, and the Kab'bah in Mecca has latitude
21.45 deg N and longitude 39.75 deg E. (The latitude difference
between these 2 points is less than 1 1/2 degrees.)

As part of your answer find a formula for the heading angle of the
geodesic connecting 2 arbitrary fixed points (of known latitude
and longitude) on the earth's surface as measured by an observer at
one of those points.

David Bowman