scale

In order for Mistral’s program to resolve complicated geographic trigonometry to the simple but rigid matrix of a computer monitor the familiar ‘Cartesian Projection’ method has been used to display world maps. Whilst this means that very accurate positioning (using Latitude and Longitude co-ordinates) can be achieved it does mean that map scales are increasingly distorted in the vertical axis progressively further north or south from the Equator. (This is why Polar regions appear disproportionally large on this type of projection).

Whilst the program has not been designed for purposes of calculating distances between relative positions it is nonetheless interesting to know the approximate scales employed by the program. Regardless of monitor size, pixel resolution and zoom level, the portion of the world’s surface displayed at any time is constant from one monitor to another. The following scale is therefore shown to indicate the approximate distances in both miles and kilometres across the map display form at its maximum zoom level.

Another (this time quite useless but at the same time fascinating) statistic is that Mistral’s program is theoretically capable of generating over 64,000 unique map images of the world. It would take you a long time to see them all! 

Latitude	Miles			        Kilometres
		Width   	 Height  	 Width    	 Height

  70šN		 157	   X	 150		 251	   X	 240
  65šN		 169	   X	 150		 270	   X	 240
  60šN		 181	   X	 150		 289	   X	 240
  55šN		 193	   X	 150		 309	   X	 240
  50šN		 205	   X	 150		 328	   X	 240
  45šN		 217	   X	 150		 347	   X	 240
  40šN		 229	   X	 150		 367	   X	 240
  35šN		 241	   X	 150		 386	   X	 240
  30šN		 253	   X	 150		 405	   X	 240
  25šN		 266	   X	 150		 425	   X	 240
  20šN		 278	   X	 150		 444	   X	 240
  15šN		 290	   X	 150		 464	   X	 240
  10šN		 302	   X	 150		 483	   X	 240
    5šN		 314	   X	 150		 502	   X	 240
    0š__	 326	   X	 150		 522	   X	 240
    5šS		 314	   X	 150		 502	   X	 240
  10šS		 302	   X	 150		 483	   X	 240
  15šS		 290	   X	 150		 464	   X	 240
  20šS		 278	   X	 150		 444	   X	 240
  25šS		 266	   X	 150		 425	   X	 240
  30šS		 253	   X	 150		 405	   X	 240
  35šS		 241	   X	 150		 386	   X	 240
  40šS		 229	   X	 150		 367	   X	 240
  45šS		 217	   X	 150		 347	   X	 240
  50šS		 205	   X	 150		 328	   X	 240
  55šS		 193	   X	 150		 309	   X	 240
  60šS		 181	   X	 150		 289	   X	 240
  65šS		 169	   X	 150		 270	   X	 240
  70šS		 157	   X	 150		 251	   X	 240