Circle of a sphere Circle of a sphere A circle of a sphere is a circle that lies on a sphere. Such a circle can be formed as the intersection of a sphere and a plane, or of two spheres. A circle on a sphere whose plane passes through the center of the sphere is called a great circle; otherwise it is a small circle. Circles of a sphere have radius less than or equal to the sphere radius, with equality when the circle is a great circle. In the geographic coordinate system on a globe, the parallels of latitude are such circles, with
Earth's circumference system of latitude and longitude. Longditude lines, also known as meridian lines, follow the polar circumference, and are all exactly the same length. Latitude lines, known as circles of latitude are parallel to each other; the equatorial circumference is the largest circle of latitude, and the Earth’s longest circumference distance. Other circles of latitude have smaller circumference; for example, the 60th parallel north or south is approximately half as long as the Equator. According to Cleomedes' "On the Circular Motions of the Celestial Bodies", around 240 BC, Eratosthenes, the librarian of the Library of Alexandria, calculated the circumference of the