Orthographic Projection
Nov 5,2025

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Introduction

Orthographic projection is a map projection method that depicts the Earth as if seen from an infinite distance. It is used to maintain a certain degree of accuracy while maintaining a sense of depth when projecting a spherical surface onto a flat surface. It can reproduce the appearance of a part of the Earth as seen from space, allowing for realistic and beautiful map representations. This projection projects the Earth's surface onto a flat surface through a straight line drawn vertically from the center of the Earth, so it places more importance on a natural appearance and intuitive understanding than on the accuracy of distance and area.

Projection Basic

Orthographic projection is a projection method that has properties similar to a perspective projection, which uses the center of the earth as the base point and projects the earth's surface from an infinite distance with a parallel line of sight. A circular projection surface is used on the map, and the center is most accurately represented, with the distortion increasing toward the periphery. It is mainly used when you want to realistically represent the hemisphere of the earth, and is known as a projection method that prioritizes visual beauty and intuitive understanding over the accuracy of distance, direction, and area. This projection does not have equidistant, equal area, or conformal properties, and is not suitable for surveying or geographic analysis, but is very effective for education, visualization, and presentation purposes. It is very good at expressing the impression of the entire earth, and is often used for depicting globes.

Pros

It allows for a visually natural and realistic representation of the Earth.
There is no extreme distortion, and certain areas (near the center point) are relatively accurately represented.
It aids intuitive understanding in education and presentations.

Cons

It cannot display the entire Earth, and the display range is limited to a hemisphere.
Distance, area, and direction are all inaccurate.
The distortion becomes more pronounced the further away from the center, making it unsuitable for geographical analysis.

Application Scenario

Orthographic projections are primarily used for visual purposes. For example, they are highly valued as a means of intuitively conveying "parts of the Earth" in realistic visualizations of the Earth such as globes, weather forecasts, space-related video content, educational materials, tourist brochures, etc. Although they are not suitable for the purpose of precise data analysis, they are very useful map projections for aesthetic and explanatory purposes.