Nautical Term: Nautical mile
Definition of Nautical mile
{Unit of distance used in marine navigation, specifically for measuring angles of latitude. (International nautical mile = 1852.2 meters = 6076.12 feet = 1.1508 land miles.) The international nautical mile is defined as the length of a minute’s arc of the Earth’s equator at sea level, and it is equal to approximately 1.852 kilometers, or 6076.12 feet.
In navigation, the nautical mile is a commonly used unit of distance. For example, a vessel traveling at a constant speed of 15 nautical miles per hour would cover a distance of 225 nautical miles in a 15-hour period.}
This longer definition explains that the nautical mile is used specifically for measuring angles of latitude. It also gives the precise conversion factors from nautical miles to other units of length.
For example, imagine a ship’s captain who wants to determine the distance between two points on a chart. The captain uses a navigator’s tool called a sextant to measure the angle of latitude between
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