Map Evidence Lab
Maps
Historical maps, projections, geographic evidence, scriptural cosmology, and institutional symbolism — with sources, uncertainty, and clear separation between artifact facts and interpretation.
Work in progress · draft entries
Routes & distances
Long-haul routes with verified endpoint coordinates, a computed great-circle distance on a mean-radius sphere, and the airline's own scheduled block time as the observation. No route is presented as settling a map-model dispute unless the competing projection's predicted distance is stated explicitly and the observation cuts between the two.
Method
- Endpoints: airport lat/lon from OurAirports (openly licensed) cross-checked with each airport's official page.
- Great-circle distance: haversine on a WGS84 mean-radius sphere, R = 6371.0088 km.
- Observation: the operating carrier's scheduled block time, retrieved on a dated visit, not a rumor.
- A route is only labeled verified once endpoints, computed distance, and scheduled block time have all been re-checked and signed off in founder review.
Sydney (SYD) ↔ Santiago (SCL)
draft- From
Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD / YSSY)
33.9461° S, 151.1772° E
OurAirports · YSSY →- To
Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL / SCEL)
33.3930° S, 70.7858° W
OurAirports · SCEL →
Great-circle distance
11,364 km (spherical model, R = 6371.0088 km)
Scheduled block time
≈ 12h 30m (LATAM LA800/LA801, scheduled westbound / eastbound varies with winds)
Carrier: LATAM · retrieved 2025-11
Southern-hemisphere long-haul at high southern latitude. On a north-polar azimuthal projection (Gleason 1892), the plotted flat-map distance between these endpoints is materially larger than the observed block time supports at ordinary jet cruise speeds.
Distinguishes models: uncertain — Distinguishes only after you commit to a specific projection's distance math and to a cruise-speed band. Both must be stated explicitly before the observation cuts.
Johannesburg (JNB) ↔ Perth (PER)
draft- From
O. R. Tambo International (JNB / FAOR)
26.1367° S, 28.2411° E
OurAirports · FAOR →- To
Perth Airport (PER / YPPH)
31.9403° S, 115.9669° E
OurAirports · YPPH →
Great-circle distance
8,692 km (spherical model, R = 6371.0088 km)
Scheduled block time
≈ 9h 30m – 10h 30m block time (Qantas QF/SAA seasonal service)
Carrier: Qantas / South African Airways (historical) · retrieved 2025-11
Direct Indian-Ocean crossing at mid-southern latitude. Great-circle path stays entirely in the southern hemisphere.
Distinguishes models: uncertain — Southern-hemisphere transoceanic routes are frequently cited in map-model debates. The comparison requires an explicit competing projection's implied distance to be evaluable.
Auckland (AKL) ↔ Buenos Aires (EZE)
draft- From
Auckland Airport (AKL / NZAA)
37.0081° S, 174.7917° E
OurAirports · NZAA →- To
Ministro Pistarini (Ezeiza) (EZE / SAEZ)
34.8222° S, 58.5358° W
OurAirports · SAEZ →
Great-circle distance
10,364 km (spherical model, R = 6371.0088 km)
Scheduled block time
≈ 11h – 12h 30m block time (Air New Zealand NZ30/NZ31)
Carrier: Air New Zealand · retrieved 2025-11
Trans-Pacific southern-hemisphere sector. Great-circle path passes near 55–60°S.
Distinguishes models: uncertain — Same rule as above: the observation only distinguishes models after a specific competing projection's distance is stated.
See also the globe for great-circle geometry and Sources & methodology for the grading rules.