The van der Grinten projection is a compromise map projection that is neither equal-area nor conformal. It projects the entire Earth into a circle, though the polar regions are subject to extreme distortion. The projection was the first of four proposed by Alphons J. van der Grinten in 1904, and, unlike most projections, is an arbitrary geometric construction on the plane. It was made famous when the National Geographic Society adopted it as their reference map of the world from 1922 until 1988.
The geometric construction given by van der Grinten can be written algebraically:
where takes the sign of, takes the sign of and
Should it occur that, then
Similarly, if or, then
In all cases, is the latitude, is the longitude, and is the central meridian of the projection.
Famous quotes containing the words van, der and/or projection:
“A good picture is equivalent to a good deed.”
—Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890)
“Under the lindens on the heather,
There was our double resting-place.”
—Walther Von Der Vogelweide (1170?–1230?)
“My image is a statement of the symbols of the harsh, impersonal products and brash materialistic objects on which America is built today. It is a projection of everything that can be bought and sold, the practical but impermanent symbols that sustain us.”
—Andy Warhol (1928–1987)