Identifying my coordinates from external datasource

Question

I'm working with data received from an agency outside of my office and two columns in the dataset are labeled 'CompX' and 'CompY'. Here is a sample set pulled from the spreadsheet:

+-----------+------------+
|   CompX   |   CompY    |
+-----------+------------+
| 584490.53 | 4513000.14 |
| 584565.52 | 4513137.77 |
| 583596.45 | 4509846.2  |
+-----------+------------+

This data should all be in New York City, however, using these as decimal lat longs (like 58.449053 & 45.1300014) shows up in eastern Europe. Anyone familiar with this type of coordinate system? I'm trying to create a map based on this data.

Thanks!

Might be state plane - I'd probably try that first just to see where it comes in. However this question has some information about NYC area coordinate systems in and linked from it (look for the Point of Beginning article link in particular). The most definitive answer of course would be from the source as Paul mentions. — Chris W, Jul 25 '14 at 18:54
Those look like UTM coordinates to me. NYC is UTM Zone 18, as @jbchurchill said. — nmpeterson, Jul 25 '14 at 19:36

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:34

2

Those are not not latitude and longitudes. It's (likely) going to be some Projected Coordinate System.

The easiest way to figure out which would be to look in the metadata (if it came with any) or contact the agency. They'll know what coordinate system it is.

Edit:

If for whatever reason you can't get this information from them, I'd start your search here for some tips.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:34

Community

1

answered Jul 25 '14 at 14:41

Paul

11,608
1
29
47

Thanks Paul, I appreciate the advice. I'm gonna read through that as well as contact the agency. They're a little difficult to deal with, but hopefully this is a simple enough question for their Director of GIS. – rchav9 Jul 25 '14 at 14:57
@rchav9, it would be pretty useless of them to share data without giving a coordinate system attached to it. – Paul Jul 25 '14 at 14:59

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 25 '14 at 18:54

Another way to determine what coordinate system it is in (if you have some reasonable guesses) would be to load some existing data with the projection defined and then load the data with the coordinates and change the coordinate system of the data frame (right click the "Layers" data frame) to what you think it might be. Reasonable guesses would be the approprate State Plane or UTM zone for NY city.

State Plane - NEW YORK LONG ISLAND ZONE FIPSZONE: 3104 utm - UTM ZONE: 18

If one of these guesses is the correct coordinate system, the data will overlay where you expect it to.

Identifying my coordinates from external datasource

2 Answers2