Calculate the center point of multiple latitude/longitude coordinate pairs

Question

Given a set of latitude and longitude points, how can I calculate the latitude and longitude of the center point of that set (aka a point that would center a view on all poi

Answer 1

In the interest of possibly saving someone a minute or two, here is the solution that was used in Objective-C instead of python. This version takes an NSArray of NSValues that contain MKMapCoordinates, which was called for in my implementation:

#import <MapKit/MKGeometry.h>

+ (CLLocationCoordinate2D)centerCoordinateForCoordinates:(NSArray *)coordinateArray {
    double x = 0;
    double y = 0;
    double z = 0;

    for(NSValue *coordinateValue in coordinateArray) {
        CLLocationCoordinate2D coordinate = [coordinateValue MKCoordinateValue];

        double lat = GLKMathDegreesToRadians(coordinate.latitude);
        double lon = GLKMathDegreesToRadians(coordinate.longitude);
        x += cos(lat) * cos(lon);
        y += cos(lat) * sin(lon);
        z += sin(lat);
    }

    x = x / (double)coordinateArray.count;
    y = y / (double)coordinateArray.count;
    z = z / (double)coordinateArray.count;

    double resultLon = atan2(y, x);
    double resultHyp = sqrt(x * x + y * y);
    double resultLat = atan2(z, resultHyp);

    CLLocationCoordinate2D result = CLLocationCoordinate2DMake(GLKMathRadiansToDegrees(resultLat), GLKMathRadiansToDegrees(resultLon));
    return result;
}

Answer 2

Here is the python Version for finding center point. The lat1 and lon1 are latitude and longitude lists. it will retuen the latitude and longitude of center point.

def GetCenterFromDegrees(lat1,lon1):    
    if (len(lat1) <= 0):
    return false;

num_coords = len(lat1)

X = 0.0
Y = 0.0
Z = 0.0

for i in range (len(lat1)):
    lat = lat1[i] * np.pi / 180
    lon = lon1[i] * np.pi / 180

    a = np.cos(lat) * np.cos(lon)
    b = np.cos(lat) * np.sin(lon)
    c = np.sin(lat);

    X += a
    Y += b
    Z += c


X /= num_coords
Y /= num_coords
Z /= num_coords

lon = np.arctan2(Y, X)
hyp = np.sqrt(X * X + Y * Y)
lat = np.arctan2(Z, hyp)

newX = (lat * 180 / np.pi)
newY = (lon * 180 / np.pi)
return newX, newY

Answer 3

Dart Implementation for Flutter to find Center point for Multiple Latitude, Longitude.

import math package

import 'dart:math' as math;

Latitude and Longitude List

List<LatLng> latLongList = [LatLng(12.9824, 80.0603),LatLng(13.0569,80.2425,)];

LatLng getCenterLatLong(List<LatLng> latLongList) {
    double pi = math.pi / 180;
    double xpi = 180 / math.pi;
    double x = 0, y = 0, z = 0;

    if(latLongList.length==1)
    {
        return latLongList[0];
    }
    for (int i = 0; i < latLongList.length; i++) {
      double latitude = latLongList[i].latitude * pi;
      double longitude = latLongList[i].longitude * pi;
      double c1 = math.cos(latitude);
      x = x + c1 * math.cos(longitude);
      y = y + c1 * math.sin(longitude);
      z = z + math.sin(latitude);
    }

    int total = latLongList.length;
    x = x / total;
    y = y / total;
    z = z / total;

    double centralLongitude = math.atan2(y, x);
    double centralSquareRoot = math.sqrt(x * x + y * y);
    double centralLatitude = math.atan2(z, centralSquareRoot);

    return LatLng(centralLatitude*xpi,centralLongitude*xpi);
}

Answer 4

Dart/Flutter Calculate the center point of multiple latitude/longitude coordinate pairs

Map<String, double> getLatLngCenter(List<List<double>> coords) {
    const LATIDX = 0;
    const LNGIDX = 1;
    double sumX = 0;
    double sumY = 0;
    double sumZ = 0;

    for (var i = 0; i < coords.length; i++) {
      var lat = VectorMath.radians(coords[i][LATIDX]);
      var lng = VectorMath.radians(coords[i][LNGIDX]);
      // sum of cartesian coordinates
      sumX += Math.cos(lat) * Math.cos(lng);
      sumY += Math.cos(lat) * Math.sin(lng);
      sumZ += Math.sin(lat);
    }

    var avgX = sumX / coords.length;
    var avgY = sumY / coords.length;
    var avgZ = sumZ / coords.length;

    // convert average x, y, z coordinate to latitude and longtitude
    var lng = Math.atan2(avgY, avgX);
    var hyp = Math.sqrt(avgX * avgX + avgY * avgY);
    var lat = Math.atan2(avgZ, hyp);

    return {
      "latitude": VectorMath.degrees(lat),
      "longitude": VectorMath.degrees(lng)
    };
  }

Answer 5

Java Version if anyone needs it. Constants defined static to not calculate them twice.

/**************************************************************************************************************
 *   Center of geometry defined by coordinates
 **************************************************************************************************************/
private static double pi = Math.PI / 180;
private static double xpi = 180 / Math.PI;

public static Coordinate center(Coordinate... arr) {
    if (arr.length == 1) {
        return arr[0];
    }
    double x = 0, y = 0, z = 0;

    for (Coordinate c : arr) {
        double latitude = c.lat() * pi, longitude = c.lon() * pi;
        double cl = Math.cos(latitude);//save it as we need it twice
        x += cl * Math.cos(longitude);
        y += cl * Math.sin(longitude);
        z += Math.sin(latitude);
    }

    int total = arr.length;

    x = x / total;
    y = y / total;
    z = z / total;

    double centralLongitude = Math.atan2(y, x);
    double centralSquareRoot = Math.sqrt(x * x + y * y);
    double centralLatitude = Math.atan2(z, centralSquareRoot);

    return new Coordinate(centralLatitude * xpi, centralLongitude * xpi);
}

Answer 6

I used a formula that I got from www.geomidpoint.com and wrote the following C++ implementation. The array and geocoords are my own classes whose functionality should be self-explanatory.

/*
 * midpoints calculated using formula from www.geomidpoint.com
 */
   geocoords geocoords::calcmidpoint( array<geocoords>& points )
   {
      if( points.empty() ) return geocoords();

      float cart_x = 0,
            cart_y = 0,
            cart_z = 0;

      for( auto& point : points )
      {
         cart_x += cos( point.lat.rad() ) * cos( point.lon.rad() );
         cart_y += cos( point.lat.rad() ) * sin( point.lon.rad() );
         cart_z += sin( point.lat.rad() );
      }

      cart_x /= points.numelems();
      cart_y /= points.numelems();
      cart_z /= points.numelems();

      geocoords mean;

      mean.lat.rad( atan2( cart_z, sqrt( pow( cart_x, 2 ) + pow( cart_y, 2 ))));
      mean.lon.rad( atan2( cart_y, cart_x ));

      return mean;
   }