Cardinal direction
The direction describing the direction from a reference point (e.g., location ) to another point on the earth's surface. The four cardinal directions ( also cardinal points) are the basic directions of north, east, south, west. Directions refer to the respective horizon and the position of Earth's axis, the cardinal define the direction of geographical coordinates, the meridians (meridians ) that meet at points north and south poles and the latitude lines that run parallel to the Earth's rotation east-west. In certain cultures, such as Indian or Buddhist, this concept is extended to six points of the compass by the inclusion of Zenit (top / skyward ) and nadir ( down / earthward ).
The four cardinal directions
The four directions are abbreviated by "N" (North), "O" or "E" (East, East or English ), "S" (South) and "W" (West). They serve the orientation with the sun (see sun's path ), the compass or the astronomical azimuth measurement and indication of directions on the earth's surface, of courses or wind directions. The basic directions they also form the grid in maps.
North:
North is, unless otherwise listed, on Western maps and charts for several centuries always above (some country surveys oriented to the south to about 1920 ). This determination is based on the Earth's rotation; the Earth's axis is at one end to the north. North or accurate true north ( RWN ), maps north or true north is the direction of the geographic North Pole. The alignment of a map, a plan or an aerial image in the field according to the points of the compass are known as polar alignment.
In the navigation more northern directions are used, including magnetic compass north ( MgN ) or English. magnetic north (MN ) and ill true north ( with further references ), which depend on the magnetic field, and grid north ( GIN ) or grid north (GN ) as the reference direction of the coordinate systems used in geodesy ( Gauss Krueger, UTM, UPS ).
Historical names are Άρκτος, Arktos, Arktus (, [ Large ] Bear ', the constellation of which Arctic, Arktos, Last Light ' was also one of the Roman Horae ), or Septentrio (, Seven Dreschochsen 'on the seven stars of the Big Dipper in relation ), the Roman name of the image, and βορέας Boreas, the North Wind ', borealis, north '
South:
South is the direction opposite to the north. In the northern hemisphere it is the direction of highest sun position at noon. Therefore, the south was formerly Meridies, middle of the day ', and in mythology also Mesembria, Hore of noon. Medieval Arab world maps were aligned to the south.
East:
East is the direction of rotation of the earth on its axis, perceived by us as the direction of the sunrise ( relatively accurate only to the equinoxes ). Latin oriens (see East), Greek or Anatole Anatolia, goddess of the sunrise (another Hore ), Germanic Austri. Medieval Christian world maps ( Mappae Mundi ) were oriented to the east in the direction of Jerusalem and the site of Paradise.
West:
West is the direction of the sunset ( only accurate at the equinoxes ). Latin Occidens ( cf. Occident ), Greek Dysis, goddess of the sunset (also a Hore ).
Other names:
Astronomy is called instead of North and South also from the meridian, as the daily high of stars can also be done north of the zenith (see upper culmination). The vertical east-west line across the crown, however, is referred to as the first vertical.
In medieval German representations of the compass are named after the position of the sun as follows:
- Beginning for East (Latin oriens )
- Lunch for South
- Doom for Western (Latin Occidens )
- Wed night for North
These terms are in German speaking no longer in use in the 20th and 21st centuries. The same is true for the earlier use Deten direction information Levant ( except for specifically the Middle East ) and Ponente (west). In some Slavic languages, on the other hand, some of these original designations have received in the literal translation.
Cardinal points and subdivision
The four cardinal points
For more detailed information towards the intermediate directions of northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest serve. They are like the four cardinal directions perpendicular to each other and their bisector. Along with them they share the compass and wind rose in eighths of 45 degrees and are used in this form in the tradition of angle measure since ancient times.
In the Estonian and Finnish language the cardinal points have distinct names.
The Windrose
For a more precise orientation of the compass are divided more finely in maritime and aviation. The full extent of the wind rose is divided into 360 degrees clockwise, starting with the North:
The wind rose, and compass rose (English compass rose ), today usually shows the 360 -degree pitch. Traditionally it is (now additionally) divided into 32 equal angles to each 11.25 degrees, also referred to as a deck line. East is abbreviated in the navigation always with E ( East English ) to avoid confusion with the zero ( "O" ↔ "0"). Fine divided compass roses have named markers at half strokes.
In surveying the division of a full circle in 400 Gon takes place, also called grads. In essence, the artillery division in 6400 artillery stroke occurs, written ¯ 6400, or in Switzerland in artillery parts per thousand ‰ A. These figures are still used for orientation.
Compass rose in heraldry
The wind rose is a common figure in heraldry. It is not often and is represented by superimposed stars. The north direction is rarely highlighted.
Nordwestuckermark, Windrose highlighting the northwest direction
Schönefeld, display the north direction by split lily
Classification of designation
- District have their own designation (N, O or E, S, W)
- Eighth are composed of the name of the district, with north and south off West and East (O or E) are: North, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest - abbreviated NW, NE, and NE, SO or SE, SW.
- Sixteenth consist of the name of the district and the respective adjacent eighth together ( in that order). Examples: W = West southwest, SSW = south-southwest.
- Thirty-second to be made by a " to" append lying in the direction corresponding to the nearest quarter - name to the respective adjacent quarters or eighths. Examples: Wzs = North to South, East to West = SWzW.
- Half dashes ( straight lines ) and a " half " formed from the name of the whole stroke with the respective district name. For example: North East half ( N 1/ 2 E = 5.625 degrees) or Southeast half East (SE 1/2 E) = 129.375 degrees).
For a long time, but they prefer the indication of degree values .
Finer subdivision
In many areas of expertise - including in astronomy, geodesy, cartography and navigation - is necessary, a finer subdivision of the compass. Mostly it is the degree measure (0 ° to 360 ° ), where the north to the azimuth ( or course ) corresponds to 0 °. Accordingly, east = 90 °, south 180 ° and 270 ° west.
In the military and special surveys also called graduations are in use ( 360 = 64 bar, in engl. Speaking countries also 6400 mils). The latter has, inter alia, the advantage that the tangent of approximately 1 mil is 1/1000 is, therefore, let those angles easily for a known distance converted into distances.
China
(see section Earthly Branches # cardinal directions based on the Earthly Branches )
From Chinese navigators and astronomers the twelve Earthly Branches of the cardinal directions were preferred instead of the four cardinal directions. Contrary to the eight cardinal directions of European character they have, instead of a 45 ° - a 30 ° scale. For sailors these twelve directions were not sufficient, which is why their number doubled, reaching a staggering 15 ° intervals. This new names with different origins were eingeführt.Erfahrene seafarers such as Zheng He even used a 48- membered compass for directions between the Erdkreisen.
Determination of the South on the basis of sun and an analog clock
The sun is in the northern hemisphere at noon in the South and analog watches usually have a 12 - hour scale. When aligning the hour hand to the sun, the south lies on the bisector between the 12 - clock - marker and the hour hand. In the summer, the south lies on the bisector between the 1- clock - marker and the hour hand.
Mnemonics
- Never Without soap washing
- Not Without Hiking Boots
- Nine bullocks drinking water
- Only uncle Clean walls
- You look to the north and then writes the word where?, In order to know where the west and east are. South is then in the " leftover " direction.
- In the east the sun rises - in the south it runs its course - in the West it is untergeh'n - in the north it's never too seh'n (except for the northern hemisphere between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle ).
- For the Greek / Roman Horae, there was the watch word ADAM: Anatole, Dysis, Arktus, Mesembria (O- W-N -S), the four quarters of the world ' - this acronym plays with respect to Adam still in the early Christian cross symbolism a role ( Mission thought), and is found as the caption of the four beams.
Latin names
Especially in the Middle Ages and in early modern times the cardinal points were designated in neo-Latin language: