Technically, of course, the 45th parallel is not precisely half way
between the equator and the pole. It would be if the earth were a sphere.
But since the earth is somewhat flattened pole-to-pole compared with the
equator, the length of the degree of latitude is not constant but itself
varies with latitude.

Many people mistake the definition of latitude. It is not a solid angle at
the center of the Earth between a line to the center and the plane of the
equator. Latitude of a point on the Earth's surface is the angle between
the vertical and the plane of the equator. These two definitions also
would be identical on a sphere.

Due to the true definition of latitude and the flatteneing, the length of
a degree is a little larger toward the poles and smaller near the equator.
So the 45th parallel is closer to the equator than to the pole, and the
midpoint between the pole and the equator would be somewhat north of the
45th, how far I'm not sure (I have books at the office in which I could
look this up).

David
dmark@...

On Fri, 22 Jun 2001, Bill Hanrahan wrote:

> And if it wasn't halfway to the North Pole, it wouldn't be the 45th
> parallel (Northern Hemisphere of course) in the first place.
>
> Bill
>
> At 05:51 PM 6/22/01, you wrote:
> >It is also marked in Maine. I think I have seen it on Route 1.
> >There is a monument and a plaque that says something about
> >being "halfway to the north pole". But then, everywhere is halfway
> >to the north pole from somewhere!
> >
> >BJB
>
>