All cardinal directions: correct spelling and usage. Designation and direction of cardinal points on the compass

Compass. Types of compasses, basic concepts. Photo.

Date: 2010-04-18

The compass is one of the fundamental tools for a geologist. How it works and what it is you can read below. For a geologist, a compass is more than just an orientation tool. M Many geologists simply do not imagine that, in addition to the geological compass, there are many more devices that are functionally not inferior to the mountain one, at least in their main epistasis - orienteering. For example, I have always used a liquid orienteering compass for this. It is light, dangles always around the neck, instantly calms down. With it, you can navigate on the go, without stopping to clarify the location. Actually, this is from a series, who likes what, the main thing is that the compass performs the task assigned to it. Today, GPS and Glonass navigators have appeared, which, of course, are great. I don't even want to get into a discussion about which is better. Definitely the Navigator is the future, and the compass is the past. I also know how to handle a navigator and I think that without it it is already hard to imagine a modern tourist. But still .. No matter how trite the compass sounds, you should always have it with you, just in case. But the cases may be different. And suddenly a hundred of you will disappear. You never know what can happen to him and then KOMPAS will definitely come in handy for you !!!

Compass and its functions.

"Sinan" - "Knowing the South" - this is how the Chinese called the compass. It was in China that the history of this device began more than 2000 years ago. No one knows who was the first person who drew attention to the properties of iron. We will never know about this. One thing is clear: it was on this property that unknown Chinese craftsmen based themselves, inventing a device called "Sinan". It consisted of a "spoon" with a thin end, the material for which was
magnetic iron. In the middle, it was attached to a bronze plate with 24 divisions applied to it. The "spoon" was rotated like a top. After stopping, its thin stalk always pointed south. Over time, the device has improved. People have learned to make magnetic arrows. One of them they gave the shape of fish and lowered them into a vessel with water; others took the form of a simple needle, which was attached with wax to a freely hanging silk thread. It was possible to meet arrows planted on an axis, attached to a reed stalk. These devices were installed on sea ​​ships, simple carts. Sometimes these arrows had the form of figurines turning their outstretched arms to the south. The device of a modern magnetic compass is relatively simple. In a flat cylindrical box, a magnetic needle is suspended on the tip of a steel needle. On the sharp end of the needle, the arrow rests on a hard stone, agate, interspersed in the middle of the arrow. A freely lying arrow assumes a certain position, in which one end of it points to the north, and the other to the south. The north end of the arrow is given a blue color. The position of the arrow can be fixed by pressing it against the glass lid of the box with a lever. There is a numbered degree ring on the glass lid. The compass is one of the greatest inventions of mankind. With it, you can navigate in any space: at sea, in the air, on land. Depending on the purpose of its use, the compass has the following varieties:

a) a gyrocompass. It is necessary for orientation in the oceans. Represents freely a suspended disk that keeps the direction of its axis of rotation unchanged when the ship's course changes;

b) radio compass. It provides correction of the direction of reception of certain radio waves;

c) astrocompass. It indicates the direction relative to the position of the Sun or stars in the firmament;

d) compass. It is used to measure the azimuths of lines on the ground. It is more convenient to use than a simple compass.

e) mountain compass. It is necessary for the routes of geologists and geographers. This compass has a special device for measuring the angles of inclination of the earth's surface and mountain strata. In a mountain compass, unlike all the others, the divisions on the degree ring are numbered counterclockwise. This is done for the convenience of determining the strike or dip azimuths.

Compass for orienteering

Despite their name, this type of compass is most commonly used by hikers and mountaineers. The compass was invented in Sweden in the 1920s for orienteering and is known specifically as the orienteering compass or goniometer compass. The simplest version of this compass consists of a liquid-filled round capsule mounted on a rectangular base of transparent material. A capsule with a magnetic needle inside can rotate relative to the substrate. The capsule disk has marks of the main points and degrees of angle, and on its transparent base is drawn an orienting arrow and a series of parallel orienting lines. Usually there is also an image on the substrate. e arrow indicating the direction of movement, and possibly other accessories, including rulers and a magnifying glass. More advanced models can be equipped with a cover with a mirror and a sight, which allow you to more accurately determine the bearing of landmarks on the ground. Other devices may include an adjustable declination scale (for automatically correcting magnetic declination) and an inclinometer (for measuring the steepness of slopes). Adjustable compasses have a small screw on the card disk that can be used to set the orienting arrow in the base of the capsule to either due east or due west. If you set the needle to the local magnetic declination, you no longer need to make declination corrections when comparing chart and compass bearings. However, if you enter an area with a different declination angle, do not forget to correct the setting.

Tourist compass

Tourist compass - ( German title Kompass, Italian Сompasso, from compassare - to measure in steps) is a magnetic device for orientation in the area, which uses the property of a magnetized arrow to be located along the magnetic meridian in the North-South direction. In the Adrian compass, the case cover with a safety glass and 2 posts with a slot and a front sight can be rotated around the case. To measure angles, a dial with 2 scales is used: angular divisions are signed at 15 ° clockwise (division value 3 °), goniometer divisions - after 5-00 counterclockwise (division value 0-50). For readings along the limbus, a pointer is attached near the front sight. The northern end of the hand, the index and divisions on the limb (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) are covered with a compound glowing in the dark. In other compasses, the north end of the needle is colored blue. color. To determine the sides of the horizon, the compass is held horizontally, the freed arrow is allowed to stop, it is oriented by turning the compass, that is, the 0 ° division of the limb is brought under the northern end of the arrow, and along the corresponding divisions the directions are North, South, East, West. To measure the azimuth of an object, stand with a horizontally lying compass facing to this object, orient the compass and, holding the compass in this position, turn the cover so that the “slot-front sight” line of sight is projected onto the desired object, the pointer receives a reading (azimuth) on the limb. To determine the direction at a given azimuth, the compass pointer is set to the desired reading, orient the compass and, holding it at shoulder level, sight along the “slot-front sight” line and notice in this direction any local object that will be located along the indicated azimuth. This work is somewhat simplified when using a tourist compass (look at Fig. b) due to the presence of a metal mirror on the inside of the hinged lid. At the moment of sighting along the line “slot-front sight-cut-out in the lid”, they simultaneously observe in the mirror for the accuracy of alignment of the arrow with the 0 ° division of the limb. Orientation by the compass is carried out by turning the dial, without turning the compass body. In a sports compass, an arrow placed in a reservoir (flask) with a viscous liquid quickly settles in the plane of the magnetic meridian and is very stable when moving.

Mountain (geological) compass and measurements by it .

Azimuth - the angle (angle value) between the north direction and the direction to some distant object, counted clockwise. Distinguish the true (angle with the direction to the geographical North Pole) and magnetic (to the magnetic pole) azimuths.
The mountain (geological) compass is the same vital essential tool in the field work of a geologist, like a hammer. With the help of a geological compass, orientation is carried out on the ground, waypoints, outcrops, etc. are tied. and measurement of bedding elements of rock layers.
The geological compass is much more complicated than the usual tourist compass. It is distinguished by the presence of a clinometer (a device for measuring vertical angles) and other graduations of the limb (circular degree scale). The limb of the geological compass is marked counterclockwise, i.e. west and east are reversed on it. This is due to another, in comparison with tourist compasses, a system for determining the azimuth. The compass limb is stationary, and the side of the compass marked "C" or "0" is called north.
Measuring the azimuth to the object
To measure the bearing to a specific point, north side the compass is directed at the object (most modern models have additional sights for more accurate aiming at the object), the compass is brought to a horizontal position using a level (the balloon in this position should occupy a central position), the magnetic needle is released (released from a fixed position) using the corresponding button, after calming down, the hands take off the countdown. The azimuth to the object will be that reading along the limb, which is indicated by the northern end of the arrow. The reference corresponding to the back azimuth (from the object to the point where you are) will be indicated by the southern end of the arrow.
In general, the resulting azimuth will be magnetic. In modern models of mountain compasses, there is often a special screw with which the dial can be rotated by the amount of magnetic declination to obtain the true azimuth value immediately.
Often, when pointing the compass at an object, it is held at eye level and not seen. while arrows and limbs. In order to avoid this, many compasses are equipped with a mirror, turning which at a certain angle, you can see both the scale and the object at the same time. After the arrow has calmed down, it is recommended to fix it and take the countdown from the already stationary arrow.
When measuring any azimuth, the north end of the compass is ALWAYS pointed at the object, or in the direction of the measured direction. For memorization, there is even a half-joking wording "muzzle along the north."
Elements of occurrence of rock layers
The elements of the layer occurrence are the parameters that uniquely determine the position of the layer in space. These are the dip line, the dip angle, and the strike line.
A strike line is any horizontal line drawn on the bedding surface of a layer.
Line of dip - a line on the bedding surface that has the largest angle of inclination to the horizontal plane of all lines that can be drawn on the bed surface. It is always perpendicular to the line of strike and directed towards the subsidence of the formation.

The angle of incidence is the dihedral angle between the plane of the layer and the horizontal plane (the angle between the line of incidence and its projection onto a horizontal surface).
The strike azimuth is measured in the same way as the azimuth to the object, applying the western or eastern side of the compass, brought to a horizontal position, to the bedding surface of the layer. The reading can be taken both along the northern and southern ends of the arrow, because the layer extends in both directions. The obtained value is recorded in the field diary, putting down the rhumb, and not putting the degree sign: Az. pr. SV 45.
Next, determine the direction of the fall line of the layer. To do this, you can take water or a bulk substance and pour (pour) onto the bedding surface. It is obvious that the water will flow down the line of fall, which has a maximum slope. You can also use the compass itself: release the plumb line of the clinometer from a fixed position (the corresponding button is usually located on the underside of the compass), attach the compass to the formation so that the clinometer is at the bottom of the compass, and rotate the compass in this position. The line on which the maximum clinometer angle will be obtained will be the fall line.
When determining the dip azimuth, the compass is applied in a horizontal position to the bedding surface of the layer so that the north end of the compass is directed in the dip direction. The reading is also taken along the northern end of the arrow. The value is recorded in the field diary in the same way as the strike azimuth, but the value of the dip angle is added: Az. pd. SZ 315 17, or Az. pd. NW 315 corner pd. 17.
The angle of incidence is measured with a clinometer. The compass is applied to the line of fall with the clinometer down, the plumb line of the clinometer is released from a fixed position, and the reading is taken on a special scale graduated 90 degrees in both directions.
Important! Because the dip and strike lines are perpendicular to each other, the strike azimuth can not be measured in all cases, except for the vertical occurrence of the layers, but can be determined by adding or subtracting 90 degrees to the dip azimuth. In the case of a vertical occurrence, on the contrary, the dip azimuth is not measured, since does not carry any information.

MINING COMPASS TYPE GK-2

Description
The mining compass is designed to determine the azimuth and inclination of the line of incidence of the plane of marking of rock samples. It is used in magnetic prospecting, in geological and geographical works to determine the elements comrade occurrence of layers of rocks.
The compass body is made of aluminum alloy. The compass has protective glasses increased strength. Absence polymer materials eliminates the effect of electrization on the readings of a magnetic needle made of 52KF-TM alloy (Vicalloy). The northern end of the arrow is painted white, and a copper spiral is put on the southern end to balance the effect of the vertical component. magnetic field land in the northern hemisphere.
Specifications
The number of divisions of the azimuth ring is 360. The price of division of the azimuth ring is 1°. The limit of measurements by a plumb line of inclination angles is (0 ±90)°. The scale division of the plumb line is 1°. Arrow stagnation: compass ±0.5°; plumb line ±1°. Overall dimensions 24x79x115 mm. The weight of the compass without the case is 220 g.
The probability of no-failure operation within 1000 hours is not less than 0.92.
The delivery set includes: mountain compass type GK-2; case; technical description and instruction manual.

Mining and geological compass GGK-2

is designed for approximate determination of the elements of occurrence of rock formations, orientation on the ground, laying survey routes, approximate determination of elevations, sighting and other work in the field at temperatures from -30 to +50 ° C and relative humidity up to 80% at a temperature of +20 °С.
The compass consists of a body and a cover with a cutout for sighting, made of aluminum alloy. On the inside of the cover there is a mirror for taking readings for various types of sighting. The body has a slot and a front sight for horizontal sighting on the ground, as well as a cover drum, which serves to determine the angles of fall and the direction of fall of mountain outcrops.
The case has an edge-mounted and sharpened pointer, the northern end of which is painted blue, the southern one is red. For caging and re-caging the arrow, the compass is equipped with a button located on the upper face of the case. To use the compass as an eclimeter, a plumb line with a scale is used. Unlocking the plumb bob is done by pressing a button on the bottom of the case.
To correct for magnetic declination, a trib is mounted in the case.
Scale rulers are applied on the upper edge of the compass cover.
Specifications

The number of divisions of the azimuth dial of the compass 180
The price of division of the azimuth limb of the compass, deg. 2
Limit of determination by a plumb line of inclination angles, deg. 0±90
The price of division of the compass eclimeter scale, deg. 2
The limit of rotation of the compass cover, degrees 180
The price of division of the compass cover drum, deg. 5
Stagnation of the compass needle, degrees, no more than ±1
Compass eclimeter plumb stagnation, deg., no more than ±1
- when the compass body deviates from the vertical plane by 5-7o, no more than ±2
Eccentricity of the compass needle, degrees, no more than ±2
Overall dimensions of the compass, mm, no more than 86x86x26
Weight of compass with case, g, no more than 380

DQL-8 Compass mining and geological (replica BRUNTON)

The mining and geological compass is intended for the approximate determination of the occurrence elements of seam outcrops rocks, orientation on the terrain, laying of filming routes, approximate determination of elevations, sighting and other work in the field.

* azimuth and vertical angle accuracy ±0.5°
* price division of dials 1°
* vertical angle measurement range ±90°
* range of measured slopes 100%
* price of division of the scale for determining slopes 5%
compass settling time<15 сек.
* Possibility to set magnetic declination up to 180° (East or West)
* short and long sights for more accurate reading of azimuth or vertical angle
* precisely orientable mirror with a hole for sighting "through the mirror"
* durable die-cast aluminum body
* dimensions 80x70x35 mm
* weight 0.24 kg

Thanks a lot. Gave GK-2. For a long time I was tormented by the issue of the reverse scale of the limb. Now I understand! But it's still not clear why. Sincerely. Alexander.

Thank you very much for an interesting and useful blog. I found a lot for myself.

The compass is one of the most ancient instruments on Earth. Thanks to him, you can quickly understand how to navigate the terrain, correctly determine the direction. How the compass works, how to use it correctly and what knowledge and skills are needed to fully master this device, you will learn in the instructions and video review.

The location of the cardinal points is sprayed on the limb of the device, which helps to correctly navigate the terrain if there is no magnetic or electromagnetic interference. The arrow of the device invariably shows the north magnetic radian, marked with the first tip, while the second one indicates the south. You just need to figure out what indication the symbols on the compass have.

When orienting, it must be borne in mind that the compass data does not coincide one hundred percent with the geographic ones, since the arrow tries to be placed along the magnetic meridian, showing the geomagnetic poles of the earth, which are not identical to the geographic ones. This error in the light directions of the planet on the compass is called "magnetic declination", and it does not have a stable value.

How to determine the cardinal points

The compass mechanism is simple and ingenious- a magnetized arrow placed in a case under transparent glass in the center of the dial (limb), when released from the stopper, the north tail will show the north pole, and the south, respectively, the south pole. The symbols of the cardinal points are marked on the limb with the help of letters. If the device is domestic, then the letters will be taken from the Russian alphabet, but if the device was not made in our country, then according to international designations, Latin.

The limb has a circular scale equal to 360 degrees, which is divided into 4 identical sectors, with increasing clockwise. The scale step size for a separate device can be different, however, in any case, any of the directions of light is outlined by certain degrees:

• north is 0 degrees,
• south - 180 degrees,
• east - 90 degrees,
• west - 270 degrees.

Determining the direction of the world by the instrument is quite simple., but in order for the mechanism to point in the right direction, a number of simple rules must be observed.

The device must be given an exact horizontal position - for this it is either placed on a flat surface, or held with an open palm slightly below chest level.

There must be no magnetic interference in the vicinity, such as:

• accumulations of metal
• railroad track,
• power lines,
• and other similar interferences.

If these requirements are not met, the arrow will show the wrong direction.

Once the compass is in the correct position, need to release the arrester, playing the role of a brake or stopper.

The released arrow will oscillate and take a firm position when the specially marked northern tip points north, and the opposite one shows south.

After that, it is necessary to combine the tips of the arrow with the designations of the cardinal directions, applied on the limb.

In order to determine the route on the ground, it is necessary to correctly select the desired direction of the path, corresponding to the desired part of the map or outline.

Direction designations

The cardinal points are designated as accepted worldwide letters on a compass, which are understandable to any inhabitant of the globe, but Russian-language letters are also possible.

1. The northern direction is indicated by the Latin letter N (in Latin - north) or the Russian letter - C (that is, "north").
2. The southern direction is shown by the Latin S (in this ancient language - south) or our Yu (that is, "south").
3. The eastern direction is marked with the Latin E (in Latin - east) or the letter B of the Russian alphabet (that is, "east").
4. The western direction corresponds to the Latin W (in Latin west) or the Russian Z (that is, “west”).

Salting (that is, clockwise) it looks like this: at the top - N (or our C - "es"), further on the right side of the limb is - E (or our "in" Below - S or our Yu, on the left - W or our Z.

Landmarks for the directions of the world, both for maps and globes, and for compasses and localities, will placed identically:

• if you face north, then the north pole will be in front;
• the south pole will be behind;
• the eastern direction will be located on the right hand;
• western - on the left hand.

It is important to understand that the compass, due to the presence of magnetic declination, does not indicate directions one hundred percent correctly! The compass error determines the magnetic declination.

Bearing in mind that geographic light directions are indicated on the device, in fact they will be to some small extent shifted by some amount in degrees. Since the geographic and power poles of the earth do not coincide, then with accurate calculations of the azimuth, corrections are supposed to be made before the upcoming long route. If, in this case, the path is not expected to be very long, and the magnetic declination does not exceed 10 degrees, then it makes sense to do without corrections.

The declination is mainly indicated outside the map fields for a particular area. If this is not indicated, it can be found in the directory - magnetic observatories regularly update the values ​​\u200b\u200bof magnetic declination in degrees, which are typical for a particular area.

Allocate the eastern declension. It happens when the arrow of the device recedes from the north geographic pole to the east, and the west direction, when the arrow deviates to the west.

Pay attention to the following:

• western declination is indicated by minus (-);
• east - plus (+).

Correction for the declination value, which is calculated according to the device (or, in extreme cases, according to the reference book), will allow you to establish the true settings of light directions.

The path is measured in advance in azimuth, and according to it, they move around the area. The calculated azimuth angle is the value in degrees obtained between the direction of the path to the desired object and the meridian. Then the azimuth that was found on the map will be true, and the one that was obtained using the compass will be magnetic.

Calculate the azimuth

The map shows the true meridians, meeting at the point of the true geographic pole. In this regard, the angle between the meridian that goes north and the course of the path obtained on the map, will differ from the angle found on the device, since the compass needle is along the magnetic meridian, and not at all geographical.

If there is an easterly magnetic declination in this area, then its value must be subtracted from the azimuth, which was obtained using a compass on the spot, in order for its value to converge with the true azimuth, which is found on the map. That's why it is denoted by the sign "-" (minus).

If a western deviation is observed in this area, then its length must be added to the magnetic azimuth - then, in order to obtain the true value. That's why it's marked with a + (plus).

You can be calm for the calculations, because the magnetic declination corrections provide assurance that the journey will be within the planned boundaries and will match the true geographical indications, and the route will not deviate from the map.

Let progress indulge human society with digital navigation techniques, but the classic compass with a magnetized needle, as before, is popular and reliable. Its functioning does not imply power supply, the presence of a satellite or a cell tower, which means that this device will never fail: it will not break, it will not run out of power, etc. And even a child can determine the cardinal points on a compass.

Video

This video will help you learn how to use the compass.

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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:

1. See which side the sun is on. At this time, the luminary is located near the direction to the south.
2. Take the compass in your hand and place it in a horizontal position with the arrow pointing up.
3. 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.
4. 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 side. 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:

1. The compass is taken in hand and placed horizontally.
2. 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.
3. According to the indications of the arrow, the north direction is determined.
4. The person becomes facing north.
5. 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 with the help of 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

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.

Although progress indulges humanity with digital navigation methods, the classic compass with a magnetized needle is still in demand and reliable. His work does not need power, the presence of a satellite or a cell tower, so his arrow is always able to point the north magnetic meridian with a marked tip, while the other will point south accordingly.

On the limb of the device, the location of the cardinal points is applied, which helps to orient if there is no magnetic interference. You just need to figure out what designation the directions on the compass have.

When orienting, it should always be borne in mind that the directions shown by the compass do not completely coincide with the geographic ones, because the magnetized needle tends to be located along the magnetic meridian, indicating the geomagnetic poles of the planet, which are not identical to the geographic ones. This error of the cardinal points on the compass has the definition of "magnetic declination", which does not have a constant value.

How to find cardinal directions with a compass

The device of the compass is simple and ingenious - a magnetized needle, enclosed in a case under a transparent cover in the center of the dial (limb), when the state is released from the brake, the north tail will indicate the north pole, and the south - the south pole. The letters of the cardinal directions are marked on the limb. If the device is domestic, then the letters will be Russian, but if the device is not made by us, then Latin, according to international designations.

The limb has a circular scale equal to 360º, divided by four equal sectors, increasing clockwise. The size of the scale step may be different for an individual device, but in any case, each of the cardinal points is indicated by certain degrees:

• north - 0º;
• south - 180º;
• east - 90º;
• west - 270º.

Determining the direction of the world by the device is quite simple, but in order for the device to indicate the true direction, a number of simple rules must be observed.

• The device must take a strictly horizontal position - for this it is either placed on a flat surface, or held with an open palm, just below chest level.
• There should be no magnetic interference nearby - power lines, railway tracks, metal accumulations, other magnets, otherwise the arrow will point in the wrong direction.
• As soon as the compass takes the correct position, you need to release the arrester, which plays the role of a stopper or brake.
• The freed arrow, swaying, will take a confident position when the specially marked northern tail points north, and the opposite one points south.
• Now you need to combine the tails of the arrow with the designations of the cardinal directions, applied on the limb.

In order to indicate the route on the ground, you need to select the necessary direction of the path corresponding to the desired part of the map.

Designations on the compass of the cardinal points

For the cardinal directions, international designations are accepted by letters on the compass, understandable to any population of the globe, but Russian-language designations are also possible.

• The northern direction is indicated by the Latin N (north) or Russian C (north).
• The southern direction is displayed by the Latin S (south) or our Yu (south).
• The east direction is marked with the Latin letter E (east) or Russian B (east).
• The western direction corresponds to the Latin letter W (west) or our Z (west).

Clockwise, it will look like this: at the top - N or C, further on the right side of the limb - E or B, at the bottom - S or Yu, to the left - W or Z.

The directions of the cardinal points both for the map and the globe, and for the compass and terrain, will be located the same way:

• if you stand facing north, then the north pole will be directly ahead;
• the south pole is behind;
• east direction - on the right hand;
• west is on the left.

Note! The compass does not show directions accurately due to the presence of magnetic declination!

Compass error - magnetic declination

Given that the device will indicate the geographical cardinal points, in fact they will be slightly shifted by a certain amount in degrees. Since the power and geographic poles of our planet do not coincide, then with accurate calculations of the azimuth, corrections must be made before the upcoming long route. If the path is not too long, and the declination does not exceed 10º, then you can do without corrections.

• Magnetic declination is usually indicated outside the map fields for a particular area.
• If there is none, it can be found in the directory - magnetic observatories constantly report information about the magnitude in degrees of the magnetic declination characteristic of a particular area.
• A distinction is made between eastern declination, when the arrow of the device deviates from the geographic north pole towards the east, and western declination, when the arrow is deflected towards the west.

Note! The eastern declination is indicated by a plus (+) and the western by a minus (-). Correction for its value, calculated by the device, will help determine the true directions of the cardinal points.

Azimuth magnetic and geographic

The path is calculated before traveling in azimuth, and according to it, they move around the area. The angle of the calculated azimuth is the value in degrees obtained between the meridian and the direction of the path to the desired object. The azimuth found on the map will be true, and the one obtained using the compass will be magnetic.

• The true meridians are plotted on the map, converging at the point of the true geographic pole. Therefore, the angle between the meridian going north and the direction of the path obtained from the map will differ from the angle found from the instrument, since the compass needle is located along the magnetic, and not at all geographical, meridian.
• If there is an easterly magnetic declination in a given area, then its value must be subtracted from the azimuth obtained using the compass on the ground so that its value coincides with the true azimuth found on the map. That's why it is marked with the - (minus) sign.
• If in a given area there is a western deviation, then its value must be added to the magnetic azimuth in order to reach the true value. That's why it's marked with a + (plus).

Corrections for magnetic declination ensure that the route will pass within the intended limits and will correspond to the true geographical landmarks, and the path will not deviate from the map.

Hello again, dear friends! Solve the riddle!

When this friend is with you

You can without roads

Walk north and south

West and East!

Guessed? Here's a hint for you! This is a device that helps you navigate the terrain, not get lost in the forest and find your way back. Well, of course it's a compass!

Someone, perhaps, will smile: why today is a simpleton-compass, if in the world of the latest technologies it is possible to pave the way with modern navigators!

Of course, you need to keep up with the times and make your life easier with the help of fashionable technical gadgets. But what if suddenly in the deep forest the battery of the super-guide runs out, but you don’t have a spare one with you? Or will the GPS connection fail? How then to be? Although this may not be useful, each of us should at least know how to use a compass so that we can easily use it when necessary.

Lesson plan:

How did the compass come about?

Before teaching you how to use this simple device correctly, I would like to briefly tell you who came up with this little thing that helps you find your way.

Where do you think the compass was born? You won't believe it, but here again the Chinese were involved! According to some available facts, prehistoric devices for determining the cardinal points appeared in them even before our era. Later, from the 10th century, the Chinese used it to determine the correct path in the desert.

From China, the compass migrated to the Arab sailors, who so needed a guide. A magnetized object placed in water turned to one side of the world.

By the 13th century, the Europeans acquired the necessary device and improved it. The Italian Joya made the dial and also divided it into 16 parts. In addition, he fixed the arrow on a thin hairpin, and closed the bowl of the device with glass, pouring water into it.

Many years have passed since then, scientists have improved the compass all the time, but the European idea itself has not changed today.

What are compasses?

The types of guidebooks are related to where they are used.

Magnetic devices

Electromagnetic devices

They work due to magnetic induction and are used in aircraft, as well as marine vessels. They are not magnetized by metal, so they give a smaller error.

Gyrocompasses

They work with a special device called a gyroscope. This is a device that responds to a change in orientation angle. Such devices are used in shipping, as well as rocket technology.

Electronic compasses

This is a novelty of the last decades, which already looks more like a navigator, as it picks up a signal from a satellite.

How does a regular compass work?

To learn how to navigate, you need to understand what a regular compass is, as well as how it works. I propose to consider the well-known Adrian model.

The magnetic device consists of a body and a needle located in the center, on which the arrow is held. Most often, this arrow is painted in two colors: one tip is blue, and the other is red. A correctly working compass always points to the north with a blue arrow, while the red one, respectively, shows exactly the opposite - to the south.

He also has a scale. It is called limbo and consists of numbers. The outer scale of numbers is divided by divisions from 0 to 360. This is the degree, or angle, of the turn of the arrow. It establishes the direction of movement. In addition, cardinal points can be signed on the limb in Russian or English capital letters:

- C or N stands for north,

- Yu or S means south,

- B or E directs east,

— W or W shows where the west is.

Before using the compass, it is checked. To make sure that your device works without errors, you need to put it on a horizontal surface and wait until the arrow freezes, showing where the north is. Bring any metal object near the device. Under the influence of the magnet, the arrow will deviate in its direction. Then we remove the metal from the field of action and observe our arrow.

If our compass is working, then the arrow will certainly turn to its original position to the north.

It is important! The magnetic compass is not used near power lines, as well as near railway tracks. The arrow begins to reach for the metal, so the mechanism does not work correctly.

Learning to walk with a compass

You can learn how to use a compass before going on a long journey with it in an apartment. So, here is a short instruction that will help you master this simple device and use it to return safely from your trip.

Here our work with the compass is over. We go to ourselves in the next room "for mushrooms and berries." When the time comes to return home, we take out our compass and start looking for the right path.

1. We put the compass on the palm of our hand. Set the arrow pointing north.
2. We build a line of return: through the center we connect two numbers: the azimuth point and the one that indicated our initial movement, namely to the “neighboring forest”.
3. We return to where the azimuth is directed.

If you have returned to the original point to the conditional landmark, then you can safely go on a trip. If instead of the kitchen where you came from, you suddenly returned to the bathroom, then it’s too early for you to go to the forest. Need to practice.

It is important! If your path is winding and often turns in one direction or the other, experienced travelers advise dividing it into sections, choosing a separate landmark for each section and recording its data. Going back from point to point will be easier.

How to transfer the path to the map?

It is convenient for some tourists to follow the map, where the symbols are applied. Sometimes it is simply necessary when you do not know the exact coordinates, and the desired place is drawn only graphically. How to find it for several kilometers? You need to transfer your course to a regular map.

1. Place the card on a flat surface.
2. We place the compass on top of the map so that its edge is used as a line from your current location to your destination.
3. We twist the device until the arrow rests on the north indicator. But! The pointer is not on the device itself, but the pointer of the north direction drawn on the map (the so-called geographical north).
4. As soon as the arrow of the device connected with the arrow drawn on the map, we look at the number - the azimuth, showing the place where we are going.
5. We remember the destination number, remove the card.

Moving around the map helps even when you get lost. To do this, it is enough to find on paper a landmark near which you are, for example, a river or a road, and using the instructions described above, go to the right place.

Both the west and the east seduced me.

But I never believed them!

I walked and swam hundreds of miles and roads

But the soul is forever torn to the north!

It's true that everyone has a path

Yes, infrequently it is simple and familiar!

And walk along it, do not stray, do not turn,

Can someone like me be magnetized!

Convinced that there is nothing complicated in using the compass ?! But this simple device can become an indispensable assistant! Therefore, take it as soon as possible, twist it, train, because summer is coming, and this is a good time to test your knowledge and arrange orienteering competitions!

To consolidate the information received, watch the video lesson, and if something was still not clear, then after watching everything will definitely become clear.

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"ShkolaLa" briefly says goodbye to you with the wishes of good travels!

Evgenia Klimkovich.