ANTIPODES, (Gk. plur. avrimm• dEc, from avri, anti, against + /was, foot). Literally, those who have their feet over against each other. As applied to geography, the term means the inhabitants of any two oppo site points of the globe, or, in other words, the dwellers at the opposite extremities of any di ameter of the earth. From this primary rela tion there necessarily arise many secondary rela tions. Antipodes must be on one and the same meridian of longitude, separated from each other by half the circumference. Being so situated on one and in the same meridional circle, they must differ in longitude exactly 180°, with the excep tion of the poles themselves, which have an inde terminate longitude; and being separated from each other by half the circumference, they must be equidistant from the equator in opposite di rections. Take Edinburgh as an example, in lat. 55° 57' N. and long. 3° 11' W., its antipodes must be in lat. 55° 57' S. and in long. 176° 49' E., which is merely an 'indistinguishable spot in the Antarctic or Southern Ocean. Take as another example London, in lat. 51 ° 30' N. and long. 0° 5' W. Its antipodes must be in lat. 51° 30' S. and in long. 179° 55' E., coinciding pretty nearly with a small island to the southeast of New Zealand.
This small island, in honor rather of London than of itself, has appropriated the peculiar name Antipodes Island.
Between antipodes in general there neces sarily exist also other secondary relations. With reference to the earth's daily rotation, noon of the one side must be midnight of the other; while with regard to its annual revolution, sum mer and autumn of the one side must be winter and spring of the other. With respect, however, to the former contrast, some explanation may be required. If this, for instance, is Wednesday in London, was last midnight in that city the noon of Tuesday or of Wednesday at Antipodes Island? The answer to this question depends upon a conventional usage, according to which (with a few exceptions, dictated by practical considera tions) the time of all places east of Greenwich is said to be later than that at Greenwich, and the time of all places west of Greenwich is said to be earlier than that at Greenwich. To avoid con fusion it has been agreed, further, to think of Antipodes Island as situated east of Greenwich. With this in view, it is clear that the midnight in question at London corresponded to Wednes day noon at Antipodes Island. See INTERNA