General

Used for perspective views of the Earth, moon, and planets. The Earth appears as it would on a photograph from deep space.

Perspective but not conformal or equal area.

Directions

True only from the centre point of projection.

Distances

In the polar aspect, true along the Equator and all other parallels.

Scale

Decreases along all lines radiating from the centre point of projection. Any straight line going through the centre point is a great circle.

Areas

Distorted by perspective.

Distortion increases away from the centre point.

Shapes

Distorted by perspective.

Distortion increases away from the centre point.

Type

Azimuthal.

Geometrically projected onto a plane. The point of projection is at infinity

History

The Egyptians and Greeks knew of the Orthographic projection 2,000 years ago.

Note

Directly supported.

(United States Geological Survey, n.d.)