Where on Earth are We?

This is a book about 500 years of Nordic answers to a very specific question: Where on Earth are we? The theme of the book may be described as: How to use the sky - sun, stars, moons, satellites etc. - to find positions on the Earth in order to construct a map. What we study here is the fundamental [...]
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This is a book about 500 years of Nordic answers to a very specific question: Where on Earth are we? The theme of the book may be described as: How to use the sky - sun, stars, moons, satellites etc. - to find positions on the Earth in order to construct a map. What we study here is the fundamental positioning for the mapping of the Nordic countries from the 1500s up till today. This is of a wider international interest than might be assumed.

Moreover, the book has a combined scientific and historical perspective throughout. On one hand, science is used to contribute to understanding the historical development of positioning and mapping. On the other hand, the historical development is used to contribute to understanding the principles behind modern scientific positioning. Original scientific sources (and maps) are used throughout. This means throwing light also on important works no longer known to modern scientists.

Finally, in order to broaden the outlook in somewhat unexpected directions, some special aspects related to the positioning and mapping problems are included at the end of the book.

This book spans from astronomy via geodesy to mapping (and partly navigation). It is intended for reading by a wide range of geoscientists or other people with a professional interest in the mapping of the Earth.

The book is published by the Summer Institute for Historical Geophysics, Åland Islands.