Azimuthal projection
The azimuthal projection or zenithal projection is the one that manages to project a portion of the Earth onto a plane tangent to the sphere at a selected point, obtaining the vision that it would be achieved either from the center of the Earth or from a point in outer space.
They are obtained by reflecting the network of meridians and parallels on a tangent plane to the Earth, from a certain source of light. If the projection is from the center of the earth it is called a gnomonic projection; if the projection is from outer space it is called orthographic. These projections offer greater distortion the greater the distance from the projected point on the tangent plane to the tangential point of the sphere.
The azimuthal projection is a geographic projection characterized by radial symmetry around the center point. We only consider three natural cases in which the source of light is very far away, at "infinity", that the source of light is located at the antipodes and that the source of light is located in the center of the Earth. In addition, there are mathematical and geographical projections that offer greater distortion in the plane.
It is used to represent the poles without deformation, because this increases at the Equator.
Depending on the characteristics, you will have:
- Orthographic projection
- Stereographic projection
- Gnomonic projection
- Azimutal projection of Lambert
- Azimutal equidistant projection