topic Re: Why is my buffer an elipse? in ArcGIS Mapping and Charting Questions https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-mapping-and-charting-questions/why-is-my-buffer-an-elipse/m-p/675685#M2380 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Thank you, I thought of that while out shopping. It's fixed now.</P></BODY></HTML> Sun, 11 Nov 2018 03:52:05 GMT AmyNguyen 2018-11-11T03:52:05Z Why is my buffer an elipse? https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-mapping-and-charting-questions/why-is-my-buffer-an-elipse/m-p/675683#M2378 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>I've generated a simple 20 mile buffer on a point in Southern California but it comes out as an ellipse. When I use the measuring tool the buffer ring is 20 miles from the point, but shouldn't it be a circle? I'm using GCS North American 1983 for the coordinate system and the Datum is D North American 1983.</P></BODY></HTML> Sat, 10 Nov 2018 22:02:22 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-mapping-and-charting-questions/why-is-my-buffer-an-elipse/m-p/675683#M2378 AmyNguyen 2018-11-10T22:02:22Z Re: Why is my buffer an elipse? https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-mapping-and-charting-questions/why-is-my-buffer-an-elipse/m-p/675684#M2379 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Your buffer is an ellipse since it is in Geographic Coordinates.&nbsp; If you want a circle, then set the map/dataframe to a projected coordinate system.&nbsp; Longitude spacing decreases as you head poleward, so circles defined in geographic coordinates become ellipses.</P><P></P><P>Thanks to 'Tissot' this is a well documented phenomenon&nbsp;</P><P><A class="link-titled" href="https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/product/mapping/tissots-indicatrix-helps-illustrate-map-projection-distortion/" title="https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/product/mapping/tissots-indicatrix-helps-illustrate-map-projection-distortion/">Tissot's indicatrix helps illustrate map projection distortion</A>&nbsp;</P><P><A class="link-titled" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tissot%27s_indicatrix" title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tissot%27s_indicatrix">Tissot's indicatrix - Wikipedia</A>&nbsp;</P></BODY></HTML> Sun, 11 Nov 2018 00:57:00 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-mapping-and-charting-questions/why-is-my-buffer-an-elipse/m-p/675684#M2379 DanPatterson_Retired 2018-11-11T00:57:00Z Re: Why is my buffer an elipse? https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-mapping-and-charting-questions/why-is-my-buffer-an-elipse/m-p/675685#M2380 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Thank you, I thought of that while out shopping. It's fixed now.</P></BODY></HTML> Sun, 11 Nov 2018 03:52:05 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-mapping-and-charting-questions/why-is-my-buffer-an-elipse/m-p/675685#M2380 AmyNguyen 2018-11-11T03:52:05Z