Point at infinity of the complex projective line ($\infty =[1:0]\in {\mathbb{CP}}^1$)

In the affine coordinate $z\mapsto [z:1]$, the complex projective line consists of the complex plane together with the single extra projective point $[1:0]$, called its point at infinity. It is the only point whose second homogeneous coordinate vanishes. This coordinate choice distinguishes the point; it is not intrinsically special under projective transformations. The map $[u:v]\mapsto [v:u]$ exchanges zero and infinity. The resulting one-point compactification is the Riemann sphere.