Oblique aspect

The planar oblique aspect places the center of the map projection at any location on the earth's surface other than the poles or the equator. As with the polar aspect, the differences between the three examples below are due solely to the position of the light source.

Oblique aspect of a planar projection.

In the Gnomonic projection, meridians are straight lines that converge toward the poles with the central meridian of the projection intersecting the equator at a right angle. The equator is a straight line, but all other parallels are the shapes composed of parabolas, hyperbolas, and ellipses with the curve of the parallels in the northern and southern hemispheres being reversed.

A Gnomonic map projection in oblique aspect. Meridians are converging straight lines and parallels are portions of ellipses, parabolas, or hyperbolas.

In the Stereographic projection, the central meridian for the map projection is a straight line while all other meridians are circular arcs converging at the poles. The parallel opposite the central parallel of the map projection is a straight line that intersects the central meridian at a right angle; all other parallels are circular arcs.

In the Stereographic map projection (oblique aspect), the central meridian is a straight line while all other meridians and parallels are circular arcs.

In the Orthographic projection, the central meridian is a straight line while all other meridians are semi-ellipses that intersect at the poles. Parallels are partial or complete ellipses of varying sizes with the same ellipticity.

In the oblique apsect of the Orthographic map projection, the central meridian is a straight line and all other meridians and parallels are portions of ellipses.