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The Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) is a world-wide rectangular coordinate system used to locate a point on the earth’s surface. UTM zones are long, vertical rectangles covering the globe. Most of Minnesota falls within Zone 15. Any set of UTM coordinates should include a reference to the zone that it falls within.
UTM coordinates consist of two seven-digit numbers. Coordinates reflect measurement in meters. Each of the two seven-digit numbers in a set of coordinates represents a distance measured from a starting line. The first number is the distance measured (in meters) from west to east, starting from the west edge of that zone. The second number is the distance (in meters) from the equator. Since the first number is measured to the east, it is sometimes referred to as the EASTING value. Since the second number is measured to the north it is sometimes referred to as the NORTHING value. In the simplified drawing below (Figure 1), the area covered in Zone15. The coordinate at point A is 0319434,4585213. It is located 319,434 meters east of the western edge of Zone 15 and 4,585,213 meters north of the equator. (The easting value is 0319434 and the northing value is 4585213. Note that the easting value is always listed first in a set of coordinates.) |
