Bearing Calculator
Calculate bearing and distance between two coordinates.
Bearing Calculator
A Bearing Calculator calculates the direction or angle from one geographic coordinate to another using latitude and longitude. Enter the starting point and destination coordinates to calculate the initial bearing, final bearing, reverse bearing, compass direction, and distance between two locations.
The bearing is measured clockwise from true north, from 0° to 360°. For example, 0° represents north, 90° represents east, 180° represents south, and 270° represents west.
What Is a Bearing?
A bearing is a horizontal direction expressed as an angle measured clockwise from north.
| Bearing | Direction |
|---|---|
| 0° | North |
| 45° | Northeast |
| 90° | East |
| 135° | Southeast |
| 180° | South |
| 225° | Southwest |
| 270° | West |
| 315° | Northwest |
| 360° | North |
Bearings are commonly used in GPS navigation, surveying, aviation, marine navigation, mapping, GIS, hiking, and geographic calculations.
Bearing Between Two Coordinates
To calculate the bearing between two latitude and longitude coordinates, the calculator uses the starting coordinate and destination coordinate.
For coordinates:
- Starting latitude = φ₁
- Starting longitude = λ₁
- Destination latitude = φ₂
- Destination longitude = λ₂
The initial bearing can be calculated using the following formula:
Where:
- φ₁ = starting latitude
- φ₂ = destination latitude
- λ₁ = starting longitude
- λ₂ = destination longitude
- Δλ = difference in longitude
The resulting angle is converted to a value between 0° and 360°.
Initial Bearing vs Final Bearing
For short distances, the initial and final bearings may appear similar. However, when traveling over the Earth's curved surface, the direction can change along the route.
Initial Bearing
The direction from the starting point toward the destination.
Final Bearing
The direction of travel as the route approaches the destination.
This distinction is particularly useful for long-distance navigation and geographic calculations.
How to Use the Bearing Calculator
- Enter the latitude and longitude of the starting point.
- Enter the latitude and longitude of the destination.
- Select Initial, Final, or Both bearing options.
- Select the required distance unit.
- Click Calculate Bearing.
- View the bearing, compass direction, distance, and reverse bearing.
- Use the interactive map to visually check the route between the two coordinates.
You can also drag the markers on the map to change the coordinates and recalculate the bearing.
Bearing and Distance
Bearing and distance are often used together in navigation. The bearing tells you which direction to travel, while the distance tells you how far the destination is.
The calculator uses the coordinates to determine the distance between the two points and can display the result in:
- Kilometers (km)
- Miles (mi)
- Meters (m)
- Nautical miles (nmi)
Bearing Calculator Example
Suppose the starting point is at latitude 39.816192 and longitude -75.289418, and the destination is at latitude 39.716192 and longitude -75.189418. Enter these coordinates into the calculator to calculate the bearing, compass direction, and distance between the two points.
| Point | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| Start A | 39.816192 | -75.289418 |
| Destination B | 39.716192 | -75.189418 |
FAQ on Bearing Calculator
A bearing is a direction expressed as an angle measured clockwise from north. A bearing of 0° or 360° represents north, 90° represents east, 180° represents south, and 270° represents west.
Enter the latitude and longitude of the starting point and destination. The Bearing Calculator uses the coordinates to calculate the direction between them, including the initial bearing and, when selected, the final bearing.
The initial bearing is the direction at the starting point toward the destination. The final bearing is the direction as the route approaches the destination. Because the Earth is curved, these values can differ, especially over longer distances.
Yes. A GPS bearing can be calculated from two geographic coordinates. Enter the latitude and longitude of the starting and destination points to determine the bearing and compass direction.
Bearing describes the direction from one point to another, while distance describes how far apart the two points are. Both measurements can be calculated from latitude and longitude coordinates and are commonly used together in navigation and mapping.