Small circle

From Free net encyclopedia

A small circle of a sphere is the circle constructed by a plane crossing the sphere not in its center. Small circles always have smaller diameters than the sphere itself (compare great circle).

Image:Small circle.png
Small circle of a sphere.

The small circle does not have the smallest curvature, and hence, a segment on its circumference does not represent the shortest path between two points on a spherical surface.eo:Minuskla cirklo sv:Småcirkel