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Azimuth Formula:
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Azimuth calculation determines the direction or bearing from a reference point, typically measured in degrees clockwise from north. It's commonly used in navigation, surveying, and astronomy to describe directional relationships between points.
The calculator uses the atan2 function:
Where:
Explanation: The atan2 function properly handles all four quadrants and returns the angle in the correct quadrant based on the signs of both coordinates.
Details: Azimuth calculation is essential for navigation systems, geographic information systems (GIS), surveying, antenna alignment, and various engineering applications where directional relationships between points need to be determined.
Tips: Enter east and north coordinates in meters. The calculator will return the azimuth in degrees (0-360°), where 0° is true north, 90° is east, 180° is south, and 270° is west.
Q1: What's the difference between azimuth and bearing?
A: Azimuth is measured clockwise from north (0-360°), while bearing is often expressed as an angle from north or south (e.g., N45°E or S30°W).
Q2: What coordinate system should I use?
A: This calculator works with any Cartesian coordinate system where you have east (x) and north (y) components relative to your reference point.
Q3: How do I handle negative coordinates?
A: Negative coordinates represent directions opposite to the positive axis (west instead of east, south instead of north). The calculator automatically handles these correctly.
Q4: What if both coordinates are zero?
A: Azimuth is undefined when both coordinates are zero because you're at the reference point with no direction to calculate.
Q5: Can I use this for large distances?
A: Yes, but for very large distances (global scale), you should consider using great circle calculations instead of simple Cartesian coordinates.