User:Anameofmyveryown/Gallery/Scotland

Version 1:The original map

Version 1: the original map.

Who did it?

User:SFC9394, derived from WGS84 data.

What's the projection?

Unknown. It is raw WGS data and therefore geodesic.

What's the problem with it?

I think geodesic data implies that the longitude and latitude lines are curves, not straight lines.

Usable as a location map?

If the bit above about the curves is correct, then no.

Version 2:Mercator map

Version 2 with border.

Who did it?

Me derived from User:SFC9394's original and a Mercator map produced from public domain map engine at http://www.aquarius.geomar.de/omc/

What's the projection?

Mercator from -8W to 0E, 54.5N to 61N

What's the problem with it?

Mercator projection has latitude and longitude as straight lines, but vertical distances increase the further away from the Equator you go.

Usable as a location map?

For Equatorial or small countries, yes, but Scotland is far enough away from the Equator and tall enough for this to become an issue. So no.

Version 3:Equidistant cylindrical map

Version 3.

Who did it?

Me derived from a equidistant cylindrical map produced from public domain map engine at http://www.aquarius.geomar.de/omc/ and User:SFC9394's original

What's the projection?

Equidistant cylindrical from -8W to 0E, 54.5N to 61N

What's the problem with it?

In terms of projection, none: equidistant cylindrical is equirectangular (a square on that map would be a square in real life). In terms of user acceptance, this is a problem: people who are used to Mercator or other projections will feel that the country "looks wrong" and object accordingly. There are precedents for this: I believe Russia (a very wide, but not very tall country, proportionately speaking) has the same user acceptance problem.

Usable as a location map?

Yes: there is no distortion north-south or east-west.

Version 4:Equidistant cylindrical map stretched 150% vertically

Version 4.

Who did it?

Me derived from an equidistant cylindrical map produced from public domain map engine at http://www.aquarius.geomar.de/omc/ and User:SFC9394's original

What's the projection?

Equidistant cylindrical from -8W to 0E, 54.5N to 61N, stretched 150% north-south.

What's the problem with it?

In terms of projection, probably none (see below). In terms of user acceptance, this will probably be acceptable.

Usable as a location map?

Yes: there is no distortion east-west. The 150% distortion north-south is constant (unlike Mercator, where the distortion varies) and so will probably be coped with by Template:location map

See also

• Other images in this series
• 
  Version 2 without border.
• 
  Version 3 (blue marble) gotten from NASA's Visible Earth project at http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/