Nautical mile vs knot

A knot is a unit of measurement for speed. If you are traveling at a speed of 1 nautical mile per hour, you are said to be traveling at a speed of 1 knot.

While nautical miles measure distance, knots are the unit of choice when it comes to speed in maritime and aviation contexts.

Nautical miles to km

One knot equals 1 nautical mile per hour, or about 1.15 statute miles per hour, neatly tying speed to distance in this unique environment.

The term "knot" harks back to the 17th century, where it found its origin in an innovative seafaring tool known as the "common log." Sailors measured using this device, a rope knotted with uniformly spaced knots attached to a pie slice-shaped piece of wood, to estimate their ship's speed.

The sailors would lower the wood into the water, letting it float freely behind the vessel for a specific amount of time. Once the time elapsed, typically measured with an hourglass, they would count the knots between the ship and the wooden piece to estimate their speed.

To travel around Earth at the eq

how far is a nautical mile compared to a regular mile

how far is a nautical mile in yards