A great circle is the largest circle that can be drawn on a sphere, representing the shortest path between two points on that sphere. In geographical terms, great circles are significant in navigation and aviation as they provide the shortest route between locations on Earth. Mathematically, a great circle is defined as the intersection of the sphere with a plane that passes through the center of the sphere. Some well-known examples include the Equator and the lines of longitude (meridians) on the Earth's surface.
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