I'm looking for as accurate distances as possible, "as the eagle flies," between four distant locations in Middle-earth. Any four locations will do, as long as they are very far apart (at least a few hundred miles) and small enough to provide unambiguous reference points (i.e. no forrests nor seas, but possibly mountains). It is important for my purpose that I get straight-shot distances, NOT winding-road distances. I found some example distances, but I question their legitimacy. I am also disappointed with my result from using the following distances, and I suspect that they are in fact contrived. Can anyone at least verify the following numbers:
from Hobbiton to Erebor: 813 miles
from Hobbiton to Dagorlad: 960 miles
from Hobbiton to The City of the Corsairs: 1112 miles
from Erebor to Dagorlad: 735 miles
from Erebor to The City of the Corsairs: 1498 miles
from Dagorlad to The City of the Corsairs: 780 miles
Thread: accurate distances
I would say your a little out of proportion. Going by The Atlas of Tolkien's Middle-earth I would say the following:
from Hobbiton to Erebor: 750 miles
from Hobbiton to Dagorlad: 820 miles
from Hobbiton to The City of the Corsairs: 1200 miles
from Erebor to Dagorlad: 550 miles
from Erebor to The City of the Corsairs: 1250 miles
from Dagorlad to The City of the Corsairs: 700 miles
from Hobbiton to Erebor: 750 miles
from Hobbiton to Dagorlad: 820 miles
from Hobbiton to The City of the Corsairs: 1200 miles
from Erebor to Dagorlad: 550 miles
from Erebor to The City of the Corsairs: 1250 miles
from Dagorlad to The City of the Corsairs: 700 miles
These are my readings from Fonstad's Atlas of M-e:
from Hobbiton to Erebor: 750 miles
from Hobbiton to Dagorlad: 960 miles
from Hobbiton to The City of the Corsairs: 1300 miles
from Erebor to Dagorlad: 640 miles
from Erebor to The City of the Corsairs: 1340 miles
from Dagorlad to The City of the Corsairs: 700 miles
I think it depends on which map you use; I used pgs 52-53 and placed Hobbiton under the carot in S’za and Dagorlad just above the Jaws of the Morannon seeing as how Dagorlad is a plain rather than a more pin-pointable place. And of course the placement of land, marks on her maps are also subjective, but I view them as within the range of possibility and good enough for my needs.
We figured some of the distances between our areas of domicile when Taz was setting up the postal rates for PMs , but not as the crow flies for we couldn't talk the Great Eagles into the Middle-earth Postal Service. Thus our Postal Express Riders had to follow the roads and rivers for the fastest delivery.
from Hobbiton to Erebor: 750 miles
from Hobbiton to Dagorlad: 960 miles
from Hobbiton to The City of the Corsairs: 1300 miles
from Erebor to Dagorlad: 640 miles
from Erebor to The City of the Corsairs: 1340 miles
from Dagorlad to The City of the Corsairs: 700 miles
I think it depends on which map you use; I used pgs 52-53 and placed Hobbiton under the carot in S’za and Dagorlad just above the Jaws of the Morannon seeing as how Dagorlad is a plain rather than a more pin-pointable place. And of course the placement of land, marks on her maps are also subjective, but I view them as within the range of possibility and good enough for my needs.
We figured some of the distances between our areas of domicile when Taz was setting up the postal rates for PMs , but not as the crow flies for we couldn't talk the Great Eagles into the Middle-earth Postal Service. Thus our Postal Express Riders had to follow the roads and rivers for the fastest delivery.
Lord of All, I assume those distances are to the nearest 10 miles. A thank you much for revising those distances for me, but I'm wondering if they can be tightened up a bit (to the nearest mile). Of course, Grond has a point about Dagorlad. Maybe Dagorlad should be replaced with Morannon in my distance table, but I can't be entirely sure what my original source meant by "Dagorlad".
Grond, can we expect airmail anytime soon?
Grond, can we expect airmail anytime soon?
Me and Grondy got our figures from the same book. I used the first map of Middle-earth under 'the Third Age' section. However as there is not always an exact point you can measure from and to. For instance Grondmaster measured the Dagorlad up to the Black Gate, whereas I measured it to just south-east of the Emyn Muil.
The most accurate thing you could do is to take both our figures and name the figure that comes exactly between both of them. For instance I said Hobbiton to Dagorlad equals 820 miles whereas Grondy said 960. I would just average them out and say 890.
You cannot get any more accurate and certainly not down to the nearest mile I am afraid.
The most accurate thing you could do is to take both our figures and name the figure that comes exactly between both of them. For instance I said Hobbiton to Dagorlad equals 820 miles whereas Grondy said 960. I would just average them out and say 890.
You cannot get any more accurate and certainly not down to the nearest mile I am afraid.
No, one can not get the distances down to the nearest mile, even the nearest ten mile is still an estimate. The thing is the Global Positioning Satellites were never installed above Arda and the theodolite and lesser transits had not yet been developed in Northern Middle-earth. The Southrons were just starting to rediscover some of the scientific/mathematical principles involved with these inventions that were lost during their Dark Ages when they were under the sway of Sauron.
Don't take the above for complete truthiness; I added a bit of what might have been to it.
Don't take the above for complete truthiness; I added a bit of what might have been to it.
Quote:
No, one can not get the distances down to the nearest mile, even the nearest ten mile is still an estimate.
No, one can not get the distances down to the nearest mile, even the nearest ten mile is still an estimate.
Ask an Eagle.
Quote:
Ask an Eagle.
Ask an Eagle.
I'd be happy to. Can you please arrange the interview appointment for me?
Did y'all use a ruler and map scale to derive those distances from the maps? If so, they will not work for my purposes. But I do thank you again for taking the time to do that. I'm afraid that the tight-beaked eagles would be my only hope, but unfortunately their beaks are too tight on this matter. Maybe they are protecting the secret that I am trying to uncover.
Yes that is how we came up with those numbers. Another method would be to use the book's few mentions of the distance between two points in leagues and using UTs conversion of 3 miles per N’men’rean league* you can get an accurate distance in miles.
* Unfinished Tales, Part Three, Appendix 'N’men’rean Linear Measures'
* Unfinished Tales, Part Three, Appendix 'N’men’rean Linear Measures'
Hmm... I don't at all need it in miles. I only needs the units to be consistent, and the distances to be straight. I will look through the UT. Thanks again, Grond.
