South

South or South is a cardinal direction, showing from anywhere on Earth to the South Pole. Also on the other planets of our solar system, there is the compass direction south, and even there, she points to the South Pole. It is used for navigation and for specifying coordinates.

Word origin and other names

South comes from a Proto-Germanic * Richtungsadverb sunþa, south '; the " ü " is to be found until the 12th century under Dutch influence. In addition to the form Suthan ags with secondary ( characterizing the North Sea Germanic languages) loss of the nasal is found in Old High German Sundan, Old Norse Sunan, therefore, also etymological connection with the sun is suspected. Also found ( PGmc from. * Sunþra, cf OHG sundar ) Middle Low German Southshore as an adjective / adverb, south ', Dutch Zuider, from which also Southshore, south wind ' derives. In Norse mythology, the four dwarves Nordri, Suðri, Austri and Vestri wear the skull of Ymir, from which the Æsir built the vault of heaven, Suðri is the dwarf of the South.

South also read:

• Latin Meridies, middle of the day ', which is the highest position of the sun has been designated, see Meridian ( astronomy) and Meridian (geography), meridional zone.
• Mesembria, Roman Hore of noon
• In China is the earthly branch of the horse (午wǔ ) and the trigram Fire (离lí ) symbolic of the sky to the south.

In terms of the South Wind on the tradition: "It blows a Süd" ( South ). South is a rather rare wind direction in large parts of Western Europe and Central Europe.

Definitions

The term South or South ( abbreviation S ) denotes a bisector between East (90 degrees ) and West (270 degrees). The sun is located at 12.00 clock (local time ) on the Northern Hemisphere, approximately in the south. Therefore, can be determined on the northern hemisphere by means of an analogue clock with sun view of the south, by pointing the hour hand at the sun. The south pole is then located approximately in the extension of the bisector of the 12 hour hand and ( at normal time).

The needles of the compass are directed with their tips in Central Europe almost always points north or south. The peak of the magnetic needle points to the magnetic south pole, the not entirely coincide locally with the geographic North Pole. The phenomenon of the difference between true north and magnetic south is called declination. For a precise determination of the declination and thus to calculate the difference appropriate to use information on topographic maps or draws special cards to the magnetic field ( isoclinic maps) added.

In today's most common method of cartography by Mercator, the south is shown at the bottom margin of the map.