Mercator projection: conformal map from sphere to plane preserving compass bearings
The Mercator projection is a conformal (angle-preserving) cylindrical map projection that maps the sphere to an infinite vertical strip. Straight lines of constant compass bearing (rhumb lines) become straight lines on the Mercator map, which made it invaluable for navigation. The trade-off is extreme area distortion near the poles, where regions are greatly enlarged compared to their true size.
Controls: Click and drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.
