The Greenwich Meridian is the imaginary 0° line of longitude that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. It runs through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, and serves as the prime meridian, or starting point, for measuring all other lines of longitude.
Global reference point: It was established in 1884 as a global standard for measuring longitude, allowing for a consistent geographic grid.
Hemisphere division: Like the Equator divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the Greenwich Meridian divides it into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Marking the line: The meridian is marked at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, where visitors can stand on the line with one foot in each hemisphere. A green laser is also projected from the observatory each night.
Modern reality: While the line is a powerful symbol, the actual Prime Meridian is now located slightly west of the traditional one at the observatory due to improvements in technology and international cooperation.
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