Great circle

The great circle g (green) lies in a plane through the sphere's center O (black). The perpendicular line a (purple) through the center is called the axis of g, and its two intersections with the sphere, P and P' (red), are the poles of g. Any great circle s (blue) through the poles is secondary to g.
A great circle divides the sphere in two equal hemispheres.

In mathematics, a great circle or orthodrome is the circular intersection of a sphere and a diametral plane, which is a plane passing through the sphere's center point.

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