North, south, west, east: how to determine the direction

In cartography, geography, there has long been an understanding of the sides of the world. They are needed to determine directions on the terrain and map, are used in construction, transport, help in other activities. How to determine where the north, south, west, east? Let's find out what the sides of the horizon are, how to navigate them.

Main directions

In ancient times man learned to determine his position on the ground, noticing that the Sun rises every day from the horizon line in the east, and sits in the evening in the west. The ability to orientate helped our ancestors find their way home, hunt, and cultivate plants. The principle of dividing the space into parts was an important stage in studying the person around the world. The main sides 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 sophisticated. Scientists have found out that the North and South geographic poles are two opposite points in which the surface of our planet is intersected by an imaginary line - the earth's axis.

Determine where the north, south, west, east?

Directions to the east and west are associated with one of the movements of the Earth - the rotation around its axis. The sun appears in the morning because of the horizon line in the east, reaches the zenith in the afternoon, goes to the other side of the sky in the evening and sits in the west. There are differences in the position of the sun at different latitudes associated with the inclination of the earth's axis. At noon on the equator, the star was just above your head. In the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it shifts to the south, in the summer - to the north. In summer, sunrise can be observed in the south-west, in the winter - in the southeast. In polar and circumpolar latitudes the polar night lasts six months, the luminary does not rise from behind the horizon. And when six months a year the sun does not go - the polar day is coming . In the northern region there is a magnetic pole, in the direction of which the compass needle turns. In the opposite part of the planet is the most southern continent - Antarctica. Determine the direction, if you know one of them, you can use a simple method. It is necessary to stand so that the face is turned to the north. Then behind the back will be the south, on the left hand - the west, on the right - east.

The 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, the north-east is the side of the horizon, located between the direction to the north and east. On maps, plans, dials, textbooks, reference books, the notation with the first letter of the Russian or Latin name is introduced. There is a more detailed division of the sides of the horizon. So, there are north-north-east (ssv) and east-northeast (all directions) between directions с and с-в.

Sides of the World on Plans, Maps and the Globe

In the old days, navigators and travelers were guided by maps, on which the north could be at the bottom, and the south at the top. Knowledge about the surface of the Earth was imperfect, many geographers were mistaken, putting objects on plans and maps. There were so-called "white spots" - unexplored areas. As a rule, on modern geographic plans and maps in the upper part is the north, from the bottom is the south, to the left - west, to the right - east.

The same principle was used to create a globe. Its upper half is the Northern Hemisphere, the lower half is the Southern Hemisphere. To the left of the initial meridian is the Western, on the right - the Eastern hemisphere. The place where the ball mounts 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 - the main directions, as well as latitude and longitude on the map and globe. The continents, oceans, plains, mountains, seas, cities and other geographical objects that are located above the equator have a northern latitude, below the 0 ° parallel to the south. The objects to the left of the initial meridian have the western longitude, on the right - the eastern longitude.

Compass - the device by which to determine the direction

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

1. Find out where each of the main parts of the world lies (north, south, east, west).
2. Identify all the intermediate sides of the horizon.
3. Find the azimuth - the angle between the object on the ground and the direction to the north.

Compass is necessary for representatives of many professions - sailors, pilots, military, builders, geologists, as well as tourists and travelers. There are different types of these devices that help you navigate the lines of the Earth's magnetic field.

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

You can determine your location by celestial bodies, natural phenomena and signs of the nearest objects. At noon, when the Sun is in the south, the shadows from the vertically located objects are directed by 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 forming the wall of the Big Dipper are called Pointers. A straight line, through them, rests directly in the North Star. It is located in the northern half of the firmament, belongs to the constellation of the Little Ursa.

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

• On the northern side of the trees thicker layer of lichens and mosses;
• A more dry soil under stones facing south;
• In winter, on the northern side, the snow remains friable longer;
• Ant-hills are more often located to the south of hills, trees, stones;
• The clearings that divide the forest into quarters are oriented from the east to the west and from the north to the south (note their ordinal numbers on the poles, starting from the northwest and the south).

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