View source for 45×90 points

{{short description|Four geographical points on Earth}}
{{Location map many
| World
| float       = right
| caption     = The 45×90 points on a world map
| coordinates1=  {{coord|45|N|90|E}}
| coordinates2=  {{coord|45|N|90|W}}
| coordinates3=  {{coord|45|S|90|E}}
| coordinates4=  {{coord|45|S|90|W}}
}}
The '''45×90 points''' are the four points on [[Earth]] which are both halfway between one of the [[geographical pole]]s and the [[equator]], and halfway between the [[Prime Meridian]] and the [[180th meridian]]. Both northern 45×90 points are located on land, while both southern 45×90 points are in remote open ocean locations.

==45°N, 90°W==
[[File:Sign for the Western Hemisphere's 45X90 point.jpg|thumb|right|The original marker for the 45×90 point in North America; the sign was later amended to explain that a  marker had been placed on the real location, approximately {{convert|1063|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} away.]]

The best-known and most frequently visited such point is {{coord|45|0|0|N|90|0|0|W}}, which is {{convert|1345|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} above sea level in the town of [[Rietbrock, Wisconsin]] near the unincorporated community of [[Poniatowski, Wisconsin|Poniatowski]].  A grand board and precise metal ground marker was placed by the [[Marathon County, Wisconsin|Marathon County]] Park Commission, only to be relocated slightly<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/45-x-90-geographical-marker|title=45 X 90 Geographical Marker|website=Atlas Obscura|language=en|access-date=2017-11-04}}</ref> and restored to visitor access since September 12, 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://assets.atlasobscura.com/media/W1siZiIsInVwbG9hZHMvcGxhY2VfaW1hZ2VzL2FyYTJucm9pZnNiMGQ3ZGVjMTM1ZjAyNzIyZjlfQ2FtZXJhWk9PTS0yMDE3MDcwMjEyMzYzNzU3OV9jb3B5LmpwZyJdLFsicCIsInRodW1iIiwieDM5MD4iXSxbInAiLCJjb252ZXJ0IiwiLXF1YWxpdHkgODEgLWF1dG8tb3JpZW50Il1d/CameraZOOM-20170702123637579_copy.jpg |title=45°N X 90°W Geographic Marker |website=assetts.atlas.obscura.com |access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>

The former marker has been replaced by a small parking lot with a trail that leads to a long, rectangular park. The Geographical Marker is at the southern end of the park along with informational displays.

The point has become something of a pop culture phenomenon thanks to Gesicki's Tavern in the tiny cluster of establishments in Poniatowski.<ref name="gesicki">{{cite web|first=Bill |last=Hart |title=Gesicki, John Raymond |url=http://www.marathoncountyhistory.org/PeopleDetails.php?PeopleId=778 |publisher=Marathon County Historical Society |access-date=24 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062527/http://www.marathoncountyhistory.org/PeopleDetails.php?PeopleId=778 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> They sold 45×90 [[T-shirt]]s and registered visitors as members of the "45×90 Club".<ref name="gesicki"/> Since 2006, the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau has been the holder of the official "45×90 Club" registration book. The book is on loan from the family.<ref>{{cite web|title=Center of the Northwest Hemisphere|url=http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/Home/AboutWausau/AttractionsLandmarks.aspx|work=Attractions & Landmarks|publisher=City of Wausau, Wisconsin|access-date=24 March 2014|archive-date=10 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210234528/http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/Home/AboutWausau/AttractionsLandmarks.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> On becoming a member of the club, the Bureau gives a commemorative coin.

<gallery class="center">
Image:Marker for the Western Hemisphere's 45X90 point (2).jpg|Close up of the incorrectly placed marker in [[Marathon County, Wisconsin]], [[United States]]
Image:45x90 01.jpg|Image of the current 45Nx90W marker in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States
Image:45x90 02.jpg|Image of the larger context for the 45Nx90W marker in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States
Image:45x90 03.jpg|Image of 45Nx90W geographical marker informational display.
</gallery>

==45°N, 90°E==
The only other 45×90 point located on land is {{coord|45|0|0|N|90|0|0|E}}, which is at an elevation of {{convert|3311|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} above sea level. This point is located in a desolate region of the [[Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region]] of [[China]], near the [[Mongolia]]n border, approximately {{convert|240|km|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Ürümqi]]. Administratively, it is on the border of [[Qitai County|Qitai]] and [[Qinggil County|Qinggil]] counties. Greg Michaels, an American, and Ru Rong Zhao, a taxi driver from the closest town of [[Qitai County|Qitai]], which is 110&nbsp;km to the south-southwest, visited this point on April 13, 2004 and documented the visit on the [[Degree Confluence Project]].<ref>{{cite web|title=45°N 90°E|url=http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?id=6993|publisher=[[Degree Confluence Project]]|access-date=24 March 2014|date=13 April 2004}}</ref> Their visit found no monument or any physical recognition of the status and documented that the nearest community to the site documented on maps, [[Jiangjunmiao]], had long since been abandoned.

==45°S, 90°E==
[[File:MH370_SIO_search.png|thumb|300px|The search for [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 370]] was near the coordinate 45°S, 90°E. The coordinate is closest to the red dot labeled as [[Gaofen 1]] at the bottom, halfway between the center and left side of the image.]]

In the southern [[Indian Ocean]], {{coord|45|0|0|S|90|0|0|E}} has an ocean floor depth of {{convert|10,489|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} below sea level and is: {{convert|773|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} southeast of the nearest (uninhabited) island of [[Île Saint-Paul]]; {{convert|920|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Elephant Spit]], [[Heard Island and McDonald Islands|Heard Island]]; {{convert|975|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} east northeast of the small village-like capital [[Port aux Français]] of the [[Kerguelen Islands]]; {{convert|1507|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} north of [[Antarctica]]; {{convert|1521|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Augusta, Western Australia]], {{convert|2535|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Réunion]] Island, and {{convert|3450|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Benguerra Island]], Mozambique, and {{convert|3600|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Mossel Bay]], [[South Africa]].

In March 2014, the point was in one of a few strips in a search for the missing [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 370]], after potential debris was spotted by satellite about there.<ref>{{cite news|title=Malaysia plane search: China checks new 'debris' image|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26697048|access-date=24 March 2014|work=[[BBC News]]|date=22 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Murdoch|first=Lindsay|title=Missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370: Floating debris spotted by Chinese satellite image|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-floating-debris-spotted-by-chinese-satellite-image-20140322-35ap6.html|access-date=24 March 2014|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=22 March 2014}}</ref>

== 45°S, 90°W==
Located in the southern [[Pacific Ocean]], {{convert|806|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} west south west of [[Guaitecas]] in [[Chile]], and {{convert|1910|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} north of Antarctica, {{coord|45|0|0|S|90|0|0|W}} has an ocean floor depth of {{convert|13,730|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} below sea level.

==Antipodes ==

Each 45×90 point is the [[Antipodes|antipode]]{{Snd}}the point on the opposite side of Earth{{Snd}}of another 45×90 point.

The southern Indian Ocean location and the point in Wisconsin are antipodes of each other. The southern Pacific Ocean location and the point in China are antipodes of each other.

==See also==
*[[Degree Confluence Project]] (DCP)
*[[45th parallel north]]
*[[45th parallel south]]
*[[90th meridian east]]
*[[90th meridian west]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://mnmuseumofthems.org/45th/Poniatowski.html The 45th Parallel, Poniatowski, Wisconsin]
*[http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=45&lon=-90 Visit to the 45X90 point in Wisconsin (DCP)]
*[http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=45&lon=90 Visit to the 45X90 point in northwestern China (DCP)]

{{geographical coordinates}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:45by90 Points}}
[[Category:Cartography]]
[[Category:Geography of Marathon County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Geography of Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Geography of Xinjiang]]
[[Category:Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:Lists of coordinates]]
[[Category:Navigation]]
[[Category:Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Marathon County, Wisconsin]]