![]() Therefore, a more accurate fix can be made if the time of year and approximate latitude are factored in. ![]() (See seasons and solstice for more on this). Conversely, at low latitudes in the southern hemisphere the sun may be to the south of the observer in summer. This method works less well closer to the equator (i.e., between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) since, in the northern hemisphere, the sun may be directly overhead or even to the north in summer. In the middle of the day it is to the south for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere and the north for those in the Southern Hemisphere. In the morning, the Sun rises in the east and tracks upwards. The position of the Sun in the sky can be used for orientation if the general time of day is known. They are, of course, also affected by magnets including that of another nearby compass needle.Ī simple compass can be made by floating a magnetized needle on a leaf in a dish of water. Compasses are also affected by local magnetic fields, which may result from geographic features such as mountains, ore bodies beneath the surface, or nearby metal equipment, especially if it is electrically powered and unshielded. This approximation becomes less accurate the closer one gets to either of the magnetic poles. This is taken to be the same as geographic north. In its simplest form, a magnetised needle that is free to rotate about its axis will always point toward north. Compasses use the fact that the axis of the Earth's magnetic field is closely aligned with its axis of rotation. (July 2009)Ī magnetic compass is used to locate the cardinal directions to a good approximation. See 's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. This section's tone or style may not be appropriate for. Several of these devices and methods are described below. Most devices and methods for orientation therefore operate by finding north first, although any other direction is equally valid, if it can be reliably located. On Earth, upright observers facing north will have south behind them, east on their right, and west on their left. The intermediate directions are north-east (NE), north-west (NW), south-west (SW), and south-east (SE). Intermediate points between the four cardinal directions form the points of the compass. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. North and south point toward the geographical poles defined by the axis of rotation, such that the body appears to rotate counter-clockwise when viewed from above the north pole. They are mostly used for geographic orientation on Earth but may be calculated anywhere on a rotating astronomical body. The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are north, south, east, and west, commonly denoted by their initials - N, S, E, W. A compass rose showing the cardinal directions
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