The sides of the compass in Russian. Orientation on the map

Linguistic anthropological studies have shown that most human communities had four points of cardinal direction. The names given to these directions were usually derived either from locally defined geographic features (e.g. "towards the hills", "towards the sea"), or from celestial bodies (especially the sun), or from atmospheric objects (winds).

According to the chronicler Reinhard (circa 830), the Frankish king Charlemagne coined his own names for the classical winds. He named the four cardinal winds as:

North(etymology uncertain, may be "wet").
Ost(radiant place, sunrise).
Court(solar lands).
West(habitat, which means evening).

The intermediate winds were constructed as simple compound names for these four. These names are the origin of the modern names of the compass points found in almost all modern Western European languages. For example, north, east, south and west in English: Nord, Est, Sud, Ouest.

Location of north, east, south and west, are called the major directions or cardinal points, and are usually denoted by the letters, N, E, S, W. East and west respectively are at right angles to north and south, and east is on a clockwise rotation vector from north and west directly opposite east . The points between the directions form the points of the compass. Intermediate (intercardinal or ordinal) directions are northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest. The intermediate direction of each set of intercardinal and cardinal directions is called the secondary - intercardinal direction, which are denoted:

ESE etc.

Compass

The Earth has a magnetic field that is approximately aligned with its axis of rotation. magnetic compass is a device that, using this field, shows the main directions. A two-pointed magnetic needle points at one end to the north pole, and the other to the south. This is because the Earth's north pole is in opposition to the magnetic south pole.

Sun

The position of the sun in the sky can be used for orientation if the total time of day is known. In the morning the sun rises approximately in the east. In the evening, the sun sets approximately in the west. In the middle of the day, it is in the south for Northern Hemisphere viewers who live north of the Tropic of Cancer, and in the north for Southern Hemisphere viewers who live south of the Tropic of Capricorn. This method does not work well when the observer is closer to the equator (i.e. between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn).

Due to the Earth's axial tilt, regardless of the viewer's location, there are only two days each year when the sun rises exactly due to the east. These are the equinoxes. On all other days, depending on the season, the sun rises either north or south of true east and sets north or south of true west.

Astronomy

Astronomy provides a method for finding direction at night. All the stars lie on an imaginary celestial sphere. Due to the rotation of the Earth, the celestial sphere rotates around an axis passing through the Earth. This axis intersects the celestial sphere at the north and south poles of the celestial zone, which, according to the observer, lie directly above north and south, respectively, on the horizon.

In either hemisphere, observations of the night sky show that the visible stars move in circular paths caused by the Earth's rotation. This is best seen in long exposure photography. The resulting photograph shows many concentric arcs (parts of perfect circles) from which the exact center can be easily obtained. This center corresponds to the celestial pole, which lies directly above the position of the true pole on the horizon.

north celestial pole is currently (but not permanently) within 1 degree of a star called Polaris. The exact position of the pole changes over thousands of years due to the precession of the equinoxes. The North Star is visible only in clear weather at night for residents of the Northern Hemisphere.

While observers in the Northern Hemisphere can use the North Star to locate the North Celestial Pole, the southern star of the constellation Octantus is barely visible enough to use for navigation. For this reason, the preferred alternative is to use the constellation of the Southern Cross.

Gyro-compass

At the very end of the 19th century, in response to the development of battleships with large transverse guns that acted on magnetic compasses, and perhaps to avoid having to wait for good weather at night. In order to accurately check its correspondence with true north, developed gyrocompass. Because it finds true poles and not magnetic ones, it is immune to interference from magnetic fields.

Its main disadvantage is that it relies on technology that many people may find too costly to justify outside the context of a major commercial or military operation.

satellite navigation

At the end of the 20th century the advent of satellite-based global positioning systems has provided yet another means for accurately determining true north. The government agencies responsible for the satellites are constantly monitoring and adjusting them to keep them in perfect alignment with the Earth.

Unlike a gyrocompass, which is most accurate when stationary, a GPS receiver, if it has only one antenna, must be moving, usually at over 0.2 km/h, to display compass directions correctly. On ships and aircraft, receivers are often equipped with two or more antennas separately attached to the vehicle.

Additional items

Direction names are also commonly and very conveniently associated with degrees of rotation in the unit circle, a necessary pitch for navigation calculations or for use with global positioning satellite receivers. The four main directions correspond to the following compass degrees:

North (N): 0° = 360°.
East (E): 90°.
South (S): 180°.
West (W): 270°.

The Use of Cardinal Points for Mapping

Thus, with the exact definition of cardinal points, by convention, cartographers draw standard maps. with north (N) at the top and east (E) to the right. In turn, maps provide a systematic means of recording places, and cardinal directions provide a framework for finding those places.

In the real world, there are six major non-geographical directions, which are located north, south, east, west, up, and down. In this context, up and down refer to height, or possibly depth (if water is involved). A topographic map is a special case of cartography in which elevation is indicated on the map, usually through contour lines.

Origin of old names

During the invasion of the Huns, the names from the Germanic languages for the cardinal directions entered the Romance languages, where they replaced the Latin names. Some northerners used Germanic names for intermediate directions.

In many regions of the world, prevailing winds change direction seasonally, and so many cultures associate specific winds with cardinal and intercardinal directions. For example, classical Greek culture characterized these winds as Anemoi.

In post-medieval Europe names were given to cardinal and intercardinal directions. They often corresponded to the directed winds of the Mediterranean (for example, the southeast was associated with Sirocco, a wind from the Sahara).

Video

From the video you will learn how to determine the cardinal points and navigate the terrain without a compass.

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Where is the east, many people know. It is located where the sun rises, since this is, first of all, the side of the world, determined by the direction of rotation of the Earth. Therefore, on an early cloudless morning, we see it in the east. How to determine its location on a cloudy day, when the whole sky is covered with clouds, in the evening or at night? This can be done in certain ways. In addition, a number of countries are called the East, and you can often hear such definitions: the countries of the Middle East, the Central Eastern countries, the Far East.

Where is the east on maps

When viewing a geographical map, we can see that in the upper corner there is an icon called the "Wind Rose". It shows the directions of the parts of the world. The direction to the south and north is conventionally oriented to the geographic poles of the earth. On the map, north is at the top and south is at the bottom. They are located one opposite the other and are connected in a straight line, that is, the angle between them is 180 degrees.

Where is east on the map? Perpendicular to the north-south direction. If from the center of the straight line connecting them, we draw a straight line intersecting at an angle of 90 degrees, then we will get the directions of the other two parts of the world - east and west. If we look at the map, then the east is located on the side of the right hand, and the west is on the left. In other words, if we look to the north, then the east will always be from the side of the right hand. Now we know where north, south, west and east are located on a geographic map.

Determining east with a compass

The most reliable way to navigate the terrain is with a compass.

It is necessary to put the device on a horizontal surface and remove the lock. With the help of a compass, where the east is, it will be easiest to determine.
Once released, the magnetized arrow will turn to the north, it will certainly be marked in white, red or green, and most often, its tip is made in the form of a triangle.
It is necessary to turn the body of the device so that the letter N is located under the magnetized arrow. This will be the north.

The direction of the east is marked with the Latin letter E or the Russian "B". But how to determine such cardinal points as, for example, the northeast. Where is? It will stretch in the direction of the "NE" mark on compasses drawn in Russia, or NE on foreign-made devices.

How to determine where the east is on the ground using moss or tree bark

We have known since school days that the sun is in the east in the morning and in the west in the afternoon. At noon, the sun will point south. In the case when there are clouds in the sky, and our luminary is not visible, then you can navigate with the help of moss or tree bark. It is well known that moss always grows on the north side, and the bark of trees from the north is always thicker.

Thus, having determined the north direction, you need to turn your face to the north, and the east will be located on the right. Thus, we can determine where is the north, east and west, which is on the side of the left hand.

How to navigate by shadow

You can also orient yourself and determine the position of the east by the shadow. For this you need:

Focusing on Christian churches

If there is an Orthodox or any other Christian church or chapel in the city, then it will not be difficult to determine the position of the east, since the central entrance to these places of worship is oriented strictly to the east. Where is the south, west, and also the north will not be difficult to determine. If you stand looking strictly to the east, then on the left side you will have the north, on the right - the south, and behind - the west.

Determine where the east is by the location of the North Star

From school geography, we know that the North Star is located near the North Pole. This is the brightest star in the European sky and it is located in the constellation Ursa Minor, at the very end of its tail. It has long served as a guide for sailors and travelers. From it you can easily determine where the North is. As the night progresses, her position remains unchanged.

Standing facing her, we will determine where the east is. It will be on our right side. It should be borne in mind that the difference between the true position of the north and the North Star is one degree. But this is not a big error for a simple person. The star got its name because it points to the North Pole. There is no such star in the southern hemisphere.

Orientation with a watch without a compass

If you don’t have a compass with you, then you can determine where south, west, east and north are with a mechanical wrist watch and a sunny day. For this:

Position the clock horizontally.
The hour hand should point to the sun.
We connect the angle between the hour hand and the 12-hour mark with a straight line and divide it in half.
A line perpendicular to the middle points exactly south. Until 12 noon, the sun will be on the left side, and after 12 noon, on the right side.

But this method is not entirely accurate, since the average noon in Russia in each region is different, that is, not 12 hours. For example, in Moscow the average noon is 12:30, and in St. Petersburg 12:59. Therefore, in the first case, the angle must be calculated from the middle of the hour marks between the numbers 12 and 1, and the hour hand. In the second case, the angle is formed between the number 1 on the clock and the hour hand pointing at the sun.

East, as part of the territory

East, in addition to part of the world, has other meanings. In some cases, the word "east" is used to define a part of a country, for example, the Far East, where the eastern territories of Russia, Korea and China are located. Or the eastern region of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, or the South-East of Moscow.

Near East

The word "east" is used as a contrast to the countries of Western Europe. From a geographical point of view, the countries belonging to the Middle East are not located in the East in relation to Europe.

The historical name of the Middle East is a large region of Asia and North Africa. It includes 17 countries inhabited by Armenians, Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Assyrians, Persians, Jews and other nationalities. For the most part, these are representatives of Islam, but there are also many Christians, Jews, Druze and Yezidis.

These areas are of strategic importance, since it is here that large deposits of hydrocarbons are located. The Middle East is a zone of constant military conflicts. This is a politically unstable region, since it is here that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the wars in Iraq and Syria are taking place, and problematic Afghanistan is located. It is from the region of the Middle East that Islamic extremism is spreading.

Far East

Compared to the Middle East, the countries of the Far East are located in the geographical east of the Earth, where the day begins. The Far East is commonly referred to as a large region that includes the countries of Northeast, East and Southeast Asia. The regions of the Far East include 18 countries entirely and 9 eastern regions of Russia.

Russian Far East

This region occupies 34% of the country's territory. It includes the Primorsky, Kamchatka and Khabarovsk Territories, the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, the Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Amur, Magadan and Sakhalin Regions.

The region of the Far East is predominantly mountainous and seismic. The Pacific coast is prone to cyclones and tsunamis. There are active volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the most active of which is Klyuchevaya Sopka. This area is rich in minerals - gold, nickel, tin, mercury, manganese, tungsten, polymetallic ores, brown and hard coal, oil and gas. Minerals have been explored, but practically untouched.

The area is sparsely populated, on a vast territory exceeding the territory of Western Europe, 7 million people are doing well. This is mainly due to inaccessibility. The development of the northern regions is currently not possible. Most of the Russian Far East belongs to the regions of the Far North.

, West East).

Directions north and south are determined by the poles of the Earth, and east and west (associated with the rotation of the planet around its axis) - by the visible sunrise and sunset of heavenly bodies. Since ancient times, man has determined the approximate southern direction - by the position of the sun at its zenith, the eastern - by the place of its rising, and the western - by the place of sunset; the northern direction (in the Northern Hemisphere) was determined by the Polar Star. On modern geographical maps, the north side is usually at the top: in this case, the south is at the bottom, the west is on the left, and the east is on the right. On ancient, and sometimes even modern maps, they could have at the top south or east. On star maps, east and west are reversed [ ] : the card is "seen" as located not under, A above observer.

When orienting a person in space, the principle of four sides is also used: “in front”, “behind”, “left”, “right”. In this case, the directions are not fixed and are already chosen relative to the person himself.

The principle of quadrupleness is reflected in folklore, customs, religious rites of many peoples, including Slavic ones:

"go to all four sides";
Tripolye four-part altars were precisely oriented with their four crosses to the cardinal points, even if this direction diverged from the orientation of the walls of the house, etc.

In addition to dividing the circle into four directions - north, south, west, east - as the orientation tasks developed, additional partitions were introduced with intermediate directions: northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast; There are eight directions in total. Later, the following intermediate divisions were introduced: north-northwest, west-northwest, etc., bringing the number of directions to 16. After another division into intermediate directions, this process ended with the introduction of 32 points.

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Colors symbolizing the cardinal directions

The traditional color of the south pole of the magnet and the magnetic needle of the compass is red, and the north is blue. Red is traditionally associated with warmth and blue with cold. In the Assyrian calendar, the north was called the Black Country, the south - Red, the east - Green, and the west - White. Accordingly, the city gates in ancient China were painted.

Symbol

To designate cardinal points, 4 Latin letters are often used: N, S, E, W, (which corresponds to the first letters of the names of cardinal points in English - North, South, East, West), or C, Yu, B, Z (which corresponds to the first letters of the names of the cardinal directions in Russian - North, South, East, West.

In addition, in the history of Russian maritime navigation for a long time, the German names for the cardinal points - Nord, Suid, Ost, West (Nord, Zuid, Ost, West) were most often used and are still used to this day.

This is most likely due to the fact that in the Petrine era - the beginning of the 18th century, when the navy of the Russian Empire was being born, many terms in the Russian language came, as you know, from the Dutch language, and there the cardinal points have the following names, in many respects consonant with their kindred German: N -noord (north), O - oost (ost), Z - zuid (south), W - west (west)

Despite the advanced techniques that have made human navigation easy and quick, each of us can easily find ourselves in a position where it is vital to find the right path in unfamiliar terrain. Learning to determine the direction at the right time, where is north, and where is west, south and east, is not difficult if you know the principles of orientation.

If a person is lost, has confused the path, then a mobile navigator is the first reliable and convenient assistant that will show not only north and south, east and west, but also draw a given path.

And if there is no network or phone with such an application? Then the old proven companions of any traveler come to the rescue - a compass and a map that will help you orient yourself and not stray from your original path.

But it happens that you don’t even have a map and a compass with you, and you don’t know where to go. Then the location of the cardinal points - north, south, east and west - is determined by indirect landmarks.

Determining the location of the cardinal points using a magnetic compass

All magnetic compasses, despite the difference in design, work on the same principle - they turn with a magnetic needle along the line of magnetic poles available on Earth, indicating its direction.

The long tip of the arrow will be turned to the north, the short one - to the south.
Usually, the arrow that shows the north direction is painted blue, or simply marked as the main one. The arrow pointing south is painted red.

On the limb there are 4 letter designations corresponding to the cardinal points:

The north is usually denoted by the letter N, corresponding to the international name North, that is, the north, but the Russian C can also stand.
The south is similarly denoted by the letter S, which corresponds to the name South, that is, south, but Russian Yu is also found.
The East is marked with the letter E, meaning East, that is, ost, but sometimes the Russian B is placed.
The West will correspond to the letter W, indicating the name West, that is, West, but the Russian Z can also stand.

Using a compass to determine north, south, west, east and their location is not difficult at all if you understand simple rules.

The compass must be placed exactly horizontally, otherwise the error may be critical.
Turn the device carefully until the swinging pointer with its long end stops at the N mark, and with its short end at S.
The line along the arrows will indicate the north and south direction.
If you look where the north arrow points, then you will look to the north, south will be behind you, east will be on your right hand, west on your left.
Having decided on the orientation, where in relation to you is north, south, east and west, now you can move on to the question - where exactly you need to move.
Some compasses have an additional fixed needle that can be set to the path you need. It needs to be twisted in accordance with the direction of your route.
There are compasses with a built-in compass, with which the azimuth is easily calculated.
If the compass is simple - it's not scary, you just need to select the desired direction of the route, correlate it with the compass and find a suitable large object as a landmark located far away.
It can be a tall building, a large tree, the top of a mountain, the dome of a temple, a tower, a pipe, and so on.
Feel free to go to the landmark, and when you reach it, repeat the reconciliation of the movement with the compass indicators.

Remember! The position of the hands is strongly influenced by other magnetized objects and devices, high voltage power lines, an abundance of metal around, so strong distortions are possible!

Determining the location of the cardinal points on the map

With cards, everything is similarly simple. If you need to determine the location of north, south, west and east, their location on the map is always the same.

Regardless of the scale and purpose, on the maps the north will always be at the top, the south - strictly below, the east will be located on the right, and the west on the left side of the map.

If there is a compass, then the task is simplified - you just need to combine the route laid out with the help of the map with the compass needle and follow it.

If a compass is not available, then one card can also help out.
You need to approach the road, railway track, river or lake.
Find this object displayed on the map.
Rotate the map until the drawing on it matches what you see.
Next, mark the route, focusing on the cardinal points of the map and boldly follow it.

Remember! Having reached a large object, check your direction with the map again - if there are any deviations from the path and whether you are moving correctly.

How to navigate the terrain without a map and compass

A person who has gone astray is not always a traveler, and it may well turn out that he does not have a compass or a map with him. Then traditional ways of navigating in previously unfamiliar areas away from settlements will help.

To orient where the north, south, west and east can be, natural signs and phenomena will help the lost:

stars;
Sun;
moon;
nature.

Ordinary wrist watches, where there is a dial with arrows, can also help determine the direction.

How to determine the location of the cardinal points by the stars

The main landmark in the night sky for the northern hemisphere is the North Star, which points to the north pole, if you stand facing it.

It is easy to find the Polar Star in a clear night sky - it shines noticeably brighter than other stars.
It is located at the tip of a small bucket not far from the Big Dipper.
Turning to face her, you will have the north direction in front of you, the south direction behind your back, and the west and east will be located on the sides - the west direction is on the left side, the east direction is on the right.

Now mark a landmark in the distance and correlate its location with the cardinal points indicated by the star. Decide where you should move in relation to the landmark.

How to find out where the cardinal points are located, guided by the sun

The sun, with its movement across the sky, can perfectly tell in which directions south, north, east and west are located in relation to your position.

It rises in the east, ends the day in the west, but seasonal shifts must be taken into account - in winter, at sunrise, the luminary will be in the northeast, at sunset - in the northwest, in summer it will shift to the south.

The easiest way to determine the poles is to turn away from the sun on a summer afternoon, standing with your back to it. Ahead will be the north side, behind - the south, on the right side - the east, on the left - the west. A pole stuck into the ground works similarly - its midday shadow will point to the north pole.

If it’s not summer in the yard, but the time is far from noon, then a proven way of orienting with the help of two pegs will help.

Two pegs are stuck into the ground with an interval of 15 - 20 minutes.
Immediately, the edge of the shadow cast by the peg is marked with a matchbox, a pebble, another peg.
Then a long stick is placed between the two marks, connecting them with one line.
A perpendicular to this line, directed away from the pegs, will point to the north side.

Remember! Going on the road, fix the position of the sun at a certain time. If you continue to walk, and at the same time every time during these hours the sun is in the same position - you move away from the original point of the route, if the sun is in the opposite position - you return to where you started from.

Determining the cardinal directions by the moon

The phases of the lunar disk at night will tell you the direction of north, south, east and west, if you remember a few aspects.

The young growing month is shifting to the western part of the night sky.
The growing lunar quarter in the evening gravitates to the south.
With a full moon from midnight within an hour, the bright disk is similarly located closer to the south.
In the middle of the morning, the waning quarter moon fades also on the south side.
During the waning phase, the crescent of the month shifts to the east.

Remember! It is easy to calculate the phase by the illumination of the lunar surface - when added, the right side of the disk is illuminated, when decreasing, the left side is illuminated.

Natural landmarks suggesting cardinal points

Looking around carefully, you can find many clues in nature indicating which side is which.

A lone tree will indicate with a dense lush crown in the direction of the south.
If there is a coniferous forest around you, pay attention to the trunk - from the southern edge it is abundantly covered with resin.
If you take a closer look at the bark of the surrounding trees, you will notice that the trunk is drier and lighter on one side, and darker on the other. The light side faces the southern edge, the dark side faces the north.
If you come across a stump nearby, or even better - a few, pay attention to the cut. Its growth rings are shorter in the north, longer in the south, the center of the pattern is shifted to the north.
You can easily navigate along the birch trunks - from the southern edge the trunk is clean, white, dry, from the northern - cracked, dark, with growths.
An anthill in the forest is built at the southern foot of the tree, the southern slope is smooth, gentle, and the northern slope is steeper and shorter.
Moss grows on the northern part of the trunk.

Remember! The flight of a bird flock in spring will point towards the south, in autumn - north.

How a wristwatch can help determine the location of north and south

Ordinary wristwatches with hands are another great tool to help you roughly find your north and south direction during daylight hours if you get off track.

Place the watch face horizontally on the ground or in the palm of your hand.
Point the short hour hand towards the sun.
Between it and the unit on the dial, select the sector of the circle.
Divide the sector in half with a mentally drawn line.
This line will be a bisector and point south.

This principle is based on the fact that the sun makes its movement 2 times slower than the hour hand moves, so the angle between the hand and the unit will be twice as large as the angle by which the sun deviates. According to Greenwich Mean Time, the number 12 is taken for orientation, for Russia - the number 1.

Remember! The clock must display local time.

In cartography, geography, the concept of cardinal points has long existed. They are necessary to determine directions on the ground and the map, are used in construction, transport, and help in other activities. How to determine where is north, south, west, east? Let's find out what the sides of the horizon are, how to navigate along them.

In ancient times, man learned to determine his position on the ground, noticing that every day the Sun rises from the horizon in the east, and sets in the evening in the west.

The ability to navigate helped our ancestors find their way home, hunt, and cultivate plants.

The principle of dividing space into parts was an important stage in the study of the world around us. The main directions of the world in ancient times received their current names (north, south, west, east). Over time, instruments for observing the Sun and planets, measuring devices became more advanced. Scientists have found that the North and South geographic poles are two opposite points at which the surface of our planet is crossed by an imaginary line - the earth's axis.

Where is north, south, west, east?

Directions to the east and west are associated with one of the movements of the Earth - rotation around its axis. The sun rises above the horizon in the east in the morning, reaches its zenith in the afternoon, moves to the other side of the sky in the evening and sets in the west. There are differences in the position of the Sun at different latitudes due to the tilt of the earth's axis. At noon at the equator, the luminary is located directly overhead. In winter in the Northern Hemisphere - it shifts to the south, in summer - to the north. In summer, the sunrise can be observed in the southwest, in winter - in the southeast. In the polar and subpolar latitudes, the polar night lasts half a year, the luminary does not rise from the horizon. And when the sun does not set for six months of the year, the polar day comes. In the northern region is the magnetic pole, towards which the compass needle turns. In the opposite part of the planet is the southernmost continent - Antarctica. You can determine the directions, if one of them is known, using a simple method. You need to stand so that your face is turned to the north. Then the south will be behind, on the left hand - the west, on the right - the east.

Mutual position of the main and intermediate sides of the horizon

There are main directions - north, south, west, east - which are supplemented by intermediate ones. This division is very convenient, it allows you to more accurately determine the position on the ground, find objects on maps and topographic plans. For example, northeast is the side of the horizon that lies between north and east. On maps, plans, dials, in textbooks, reference books, designations are introduced using the first letter of the Russian or Latin name. There is a more detailed division of the sides of the horizon. So, between the directions from and from the north-northeast (NNE) and the east-northeast (NE) are located.

Cardinal directions on plans, maps and the globe

In the old days, navigators and travelers were guided by maps, on which north could be at the bottom and south at the top. Knowledge of the Earth's surface was imperfect, many geographers made mistakes when plotting objects on plans and maps. There were so-called "white spots" - unexplored areas. As a rule, on modern geographical plans and maps, the north is in the upper part, the south is located below, the west is on the left, and the east is on the right.

The same principle is used in the creation of the globe. Its upper half is the Northern Hemisphere, the lower half is the Southern. To the left of the prime meridian is the Western Hemisphere, to the right is the Eastern Hemisphere. The place where the ball is attached to the stand is the South Pole, the opposite point is the North Pole. It is easy to find any geographical object if its coordinates are known. North, south, west, east are the main directions, as well as latitude and longitude on the map and globe. Continents, oceans, plains, mountains, seas, cities and other geographical objects that are above the equator have a north latitude, below the 0 ° parallel - south. Objects to the left of the prime meridian have west longitude, to the right - east.

Compass is a device that determines directions

A device equipped with a two-color magnetic needle helps to find the sides of the horizon and navigate the terrain. It usually rotates freely in the center of a round body. The device used to determine directions is the compass. North, south, west, east are indicated by letters on the scale of this device. The red point facing the division "C" or "N" points to the north. The opposite side of the arrow points south. To the left of this axis is west, to the right is east. Inside the compass there is a scale with numbers from 0 to 360 °, located clockwise. The price of division in different devices may differ. Using the compass allows you to:

The compass is necessary for representatives of many professions - sailors, pilots, military, builders, geologists, as well as tourists and travelers. There are different types of this device that helps to navigate along the lines of the Earth's magnetic field.

Directions on the ground (north, south, west, east)

You can determine your location by celestial bodies, natural phenomena and signs of nearby objects. At noon, when the Sun is in the south, the shadows from vertically placed objects are directed with their apex to the north.

At night, you need to try to find the North Star. The two extreme bright points of the Big Dipper, which form the wall of the Big Dipper, are called Pointers. A straight line drawn through them rests directly on the North Star. It is located in the northern half of the sky, belongs to the constellation Ursa Minor.

A good helper for those who get lost is a wrist watch. To find out the direction, turn the dial clockwise towards the Sun. An angle is formed between the line leading to the number 1 (13.00 hours), which is divided in half and a bisector is obtained (it points to the south). Orientation according to local signs:

on the northern side of the trees, the layer of lichens and mosses is thicker;
drier ground under stones facing south;
in winter, on the north side, the snow remains loose longer;
anthills are more often located south of hills, trees, stones;
clearings that divide the forest into quarters are oriented from east to west and from north to south (their serial numbers are marked on the pillars, starting from northwest and southeast).

Each method has an error, which must be taken into account on the ground. It is better to use several methods, then the result will be more accurate.

Dear readers, offer your answer to the question "Where is the south, where is the north?" in the comments below!

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Method 5. Determine the cardinal points by the North Star. 2. Determination of cardinal directions by sunrise and sunset. In this case, the directions are not fixed and are already chosen relative to the person himself.

Rotating the clock in a horizontal plane, direct the hour hand towards the Sun. The cardinal direction in geography is one of the four main directions (north, south, west, east). On modern geographical maps, the north side is usually at the top: in this case, the south is at the bottom, the west is on the left, and the east is on the right.

Orientation by sun and clock

When orienting a person in space, the principle of four sides is also used: “in front”, “behind”, “left”, “right”. The traditional color of the south pole of the magnet and the magnetic needle of the compass is red, and the north is blue. Red is traditionally associated with warmth and blue with cold. And almost complete ABX comes out! In our country, for example, in the summer the sun rises and sets in the north.

Well, what to do when the question is being decided not from the multiplication table, but the question of “Life and Death”? 1. Compass. Of course, on any trip it is better to take a compass and a map of the area with you. 3. Determining the cardinal points by the length of the shadow. Stick some stick into the ground, 30-50 cm long. When the shadow from the stick is as short as possible, then the sun is at its zenith.

Wait 15 minutes. Mark with a stone and this position of the shadow. Now connect the first and second value with a stick. 1 shadow value - West, 2 - East. The main thing is to determine its location, and the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor will help us in this.

Orientation along the clearings in the forest

I would like to draw your attention, dear readers, that among these programs there have been electronic compasses for a long time. I cannot but mention the support of some smartphones and GPS navigation, therefore, if possible, upload a GPS map to your phone, which will always come in handy on any journey.

Anthill. If we take into account the anthills located in the depths of the forest, then as a rule they are built on the south side of the tree. In addition, the anthill has a gentle slope on the south side, and a sharper one on the north. Moss. Mosses and lichens mostly cover the north side of rocks, trees, stumps and other items.

In hot summer weather, resinous secretions appear on the pillars of coniferous trees (pine, spruce, etc.) on the south side. Mushrooms. Mushrooms in most cases grow at the root of a tree on the North side. Sunflowers. Sunflowers in bloom are directed towards the East. If you look at the stump, then, as a rule, their center is shifted to the north. I did not know that the clock hands can be so easy to determine the direction of the world. Thank you for the article.

Polaris Orientation

Set the compass horizontally and remove the arrow from the stopper. When the arrow settles down, it will show the north-south direction, with the red end of the arrow pointing north.

If you stand facing north, then the west will be on the left, the east on the right. It is possible to orient the map without a compass to local objects, but with a small scale of the map it is difficult. The angle between the hour hand and the direction at 14 o'clock (for Russia after the irrevocable transition to daylight saving time in 2011) is halved.

Orientation on the map

The North Star is always in the north. If the stars are not visible due to cloudiness, but the Moon is visible, then the cardinal directions can be determined from it, although the Moon is less convenient for this purpose. Therefore, in the south, where the Sun is at noon (13 or 14 o'clock), the Moon is at midnight (1 or 2 o'clock in the morning). Around 7-8 o'clock the full moon is in the west, and at 19-20 o'clock - in the east.

And the map itself is already oriented to the cardinal points as usual: up-north, down-south, left-west, right-east. On star maps, east and west change places: the map "seems" to be located not under, but above the observer. These plants are very photophilous, therefore, even if the sun is hidden behind the clouds, they still “look” in its direction: to the east (7–8 hours), to the south (at 13–14 hours), to the west (19–20 hours ).

How to determine cardinal directions with a compass

Compass - a device designed to determine the cardinal points and orientation on the ground. All magnetic compasses have an arrow, and most models have a disk with a scale, numbers and letters printed on it. About what they mean, how to use them and how to use a compass to find out the location of the cardinal points - north, south, east and west, we will describe further.

The direction to the south or north on the compass is indicated by the arrow, and the scale is then “adjusted” to it.

compass needle

The arrow is the main element of any magnetic compass, although there are models in which the arrow forms one unit with the disk on which the scale is applied.

The arrow always rotates along the lines of force of the Earth's magnetic field, which means it shows the approximate direction to the Earth's poles. While one end of the arrow is pointing north, the other end will be pointing south.

In the literature, you can find information that the red end of the arrow points to the north, but this is not always the case. What color to paint the northern part of the arrow, the manufacturer decides, and this often does not coincide with what is written in various sources. In addition, sometimes the arrow is painted in colors that do not include red, such as blue, white, black, or even green.

One of the easiest ways to figure out which part of the arrow is north, that is, points north, is in clear weather at lunchtime to go outside with a compass. The next steps are:

See which side the sun is on. At this time, the luminary is located near the direction to the south.
Take the compass in your hand and place it in a horizontal position with the arrow pointing up.
If the compass is equipped with a lock (locking lever), then “turn it off”: the arrow should be able to rotate freely on the spire. After that, the arrow will be located in the north-south direction.
Determine the northern and southern parts of the arrow: the end of the arrow, which will be directed towards the Sun, will be southern, and the opposite one will be northern.

It should be noted that this rule is indicated for the countries of the former CIS, in the tropics and in the southern hemisphere it may not work due to the fact that the Sun at noon may be in this area not in the south, but in the north. This is important to consider in order to avoid mistakes.

There is another way, but it is more complicated, although it allows you to determine the northern direction, both in the northern and southern hemispheres at any latitude. To do this, in the morning - about 6 o'clock in the morning - you need to become so that the Sun is on the right. In this case, the north will be in the face of the person conducting the experiment. Accordingly, the part of the compass needle that points "forward" will be north.

Now that we have managed to determine the sides of the arrow, we can use the compass to determine the location of the cardinal points. For this:

The compass is taken in hand and placed horizontally.
The arrester, if one is intended in the design, is disabled to allow the arrow to turn and indicate the direction to the north and south.
According to the indications of the arrow, the north direction is determined.
The person becomes facing north.
All other cardinal directions are determined: south will be behind, east on the right, west on the left.

When working with a compass, avoid the proximity of iron, steel and other objects with a significant magnetic field (for example, knives, mobile phones, vehicles, railways), as well as wires through which electric current flows (for example, power lines) . All these objects can distort the compass readings.

Scale and letters

The compass disc, located under the arrow, is often lined. Most often, points and a scale are applied to the disk.

The "star" is inside the scale and is a set of rhumbs.

Rumba denote the cardinal directions, of which the main four are - north, east, south and west - although intermediate ones are often found, corresponding to the northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest. In total, there are thirty-two points that can be found on some "marine" compasses.

Depending on the model of the compass, points can be indicated by the letters of the alphabets of different languages. I met two varieties: in one, the rumbas were written in Russian, in the other, in Latin.

Compass with symbols on the scale in Russian.

Consider the four basic rumba in different variations:

N (North) or C (North);
E (East) or B (East);
S (South) or Yu (South);
W (West) or Z (West).

In order to orient yourself to the cardinal points with the help of rhumbs, you need to hold the compass in a horizontal position and turn with it so that the northern end of the arrow points to "N" or the corresponding letter of the Russian alphabet "C".

Once this has happened, the compass dial will display the cardinal directions.

By the way, you can determine the cardinal points using a magnetic compass not only in open space, but also in a closed one, for example, in a dense forest, in an apartment, in caves, catacombs and under water. In all these cases, the compass will work equally well. The main thing to remember about the distance with the sources of magnetic fields.

The scale printed on the compass disk is usually presented either in degrees or in thousandths and is needed to determine the azimuths to the object or select the direction of movement. With its help, more complex tasks are solved than determining the cardinal points, which we talked about in a separate article ...

This is the basics of working with a magnetic compass. Anyone, even the most unprepared person, can master it within a few minutes. However, despite the simplicity, this knowledge is fundamental for such a difficult discipline as orienteering, and gives the beginner at the very first stages to feel self-confidence, which is so necessary to start learning and mastering more complex techniques in the future.