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Calixo

Bearing Calculator

Find the initial compass bearing from one GPS coordinate to another.

Inputs

Saved Scenarios

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Initial Bearing (°)

148.1

Spark says

Formula

θ=arctan⁡2(sin⁡Δλcos⁡φ2, cos⁡φ1sin⁡φ2−sin⁡φ1cos⁡φ2cos⁡Δλ)\theta = \arctan2(\sin\Delta\lambda \cos\varphi_2,\ \cos\varphi_1\sin\varphi_2 - \sin\varphi_1\cos\varphi_2\cos\Delta\lambda)
\varphi, \lambda
— Latitude and longitude in radians

What is the Bearing Calculator?

Initial bearing is the compass direction you'd start heading in to travel along the great-circle path from one point to another — note that on a long journey, the bearing actually needed to follow that great circle changes continuously, so this is only the starting heading.

How to use it

  1. 1 Enter the starting point's latitude and longitude.
  2. 2 Enter the destination point's latitude and longitude.

Worked examples

London to Paris

Initial bearing is about 148.1° (southeast).

Try it

Limitations

  • •This is the initial bearing only, not a constant heading — following a single fixed compass bearing traces a different path (a rhumb line) than the shortest great-circle route, except along the equator or a meridian.

Frequently asked questions

Why does bearing change during a long flight?

Great-circle routes (the shortest path on a sphere) require a continuously changing heading, except when traveling along the equator or due north/south — this is why long-haul flight paths curve on a flat map.

Sources & references