You Cardinal points they are established reference points for orientation on the earth's surface. There are four:
- north (N)
- south (S)
- east (L)
- west (W)
There are also directions intermediate to them which are known as collateral and subcollateral points. THE its graphic representation is called a compass rose.
It is possible to identify the cardinal points in several ways, from the oldest, which is by direct observation of the stars, such as the Sun, to the use of technical instruments such as the compass and GPS.
Read too: Types and meanings of map symbology
What are the cardinal points?
As a way of helping us to guide us in terrestrial space, four cardinal points were established:
- North, represented by the letter N. Also called northern or boreal.
- South, represented by the letter s. Also called southern or southern.
- East, represented by the letter L. Sometimes it can appear as “this”, being also called the orient.
- West, represented by the letter O. It can also be called the West.
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Wind rose
The compass rose, or nautical rose, is the graphical representation of all landmarks used for orientation in space. It contains the cardinal, collateral and subcollateral points. It is not uncommon, however, to find figures that represent only cardinal points (four points) or that contain only cardinal and collateral points (eight points).
The creation of the compass rose dates back to Ancient Greece, when determining the direction of the winds, action that gave rise to its name. Centuries later, browsers used this technique for the same purpose in the mTher Mediterranean. Its composition was gradually improved, and in the period of grandy nonavigations, there were records of compass roses with up to 32 reference points.
Incorporated into the compass, the compass rose is one of the most important instruments used in travel and location.
What are the cardinal points for?
The cardinal points are used for our orientation on the earth's surface and, similarly, for the location of objects, people and places, which can vary from a street, a neighborhood, a city to countries and continents.
These points serve as a reference when we are going to move from one place to another and also to identify the relative position of elements that make up the space.
How to identify cardinal points?
There are several ways to identify cardinal points. One of the oldest and most known is by watching the sun, done as follows: first, you must point your right arm in the direction in which the sun rises. Thus, we will find the east, which can also be called the source for this reason. Automatically, by pointing the left arm in the opposite direction, we will have the west, which is the position in which the sun sets. In front of us will be the north, and in the back, the south.
Identification based on the Sun is quite simple, but requires caution. Depending on the time of year (seasons) and where you are going to practice this technique, there may be slight variations with respect to sunrise and sunset positions.
The Sun is not the only star that can be used as a reference to identify the cardinal points. The knowledge of position of certain stars or constellations it is a method that has been around for centuries for this purpose. Examples are the constellation of Cruzeiro do Sul and the North Star, respectively in the southern and northern hemispheres.
In addition to direct observation of the skies, the determination of cardinal points is made using instruments such as the boosole it's the GPS.
side points
Collateral points are intermediate points that are between the cardinal points. Are they:
- North East (NE), between north and east;
- southeast (SE), between south and east;
- south-west (SO), between south and west;
- northwest (NO) between north and west.
See too: What are geographic coordinates?
subcollateral points
Subcollateral points provide even more accurate positioning than cardinal and collateral points. They are located between the collateral points and the cardinals, and there are eight in number:
- north-northeast (NNE), between the north and the northeast;
- east-northeast (ENE), between the northeast and the east;
- east-southeast (ESE), between east and southeast;
- south-southeast (SSE), between the southeast and the south;
- south-southwest (SSO), between the south and the southwest;
- west-southwest (OSO), between southwest and west;
- west-northwest (ONO), between west and northwest;
- north-northwest (NNO), between the northwest and the north.
solved exercises
Question 1 - Cardinal points are important for displacements on the earth's surface and for us to be able to locate ourselves in relation to objects, people and places that are located on it. Today, we have accumulated many techniques for identifying these reference points, ranging from direct observation of the stars in the sky to consulting the GPS.
Regarding cardinal points and their different ways of identification, it is correct to state:
A) Sun observation is the simplest and most accurate method to identify where the cardinal points are.
B) The compass contains a magnetic needle whose upper end always points to the geographic north pole of the Earth.
C) Intermediate reference points enhance location accuracy. In all, we have eight points in addition to the cardinals, called subcollateral points.
D) The graphical representation of the cardinal points is the compass rose, used in locating instruments such as the compass and maps.
E) The North Star and the Southern Cross constellation are references in spatial orientation in both hemispheres.
Resolution
Alternative D. The compass rose aggregates the cardinal, collateral, and subcollateral points into a star-like figure. It has been incorporated into compasses and appears represented on maps.
Question 2 - (UFF) Using the compass rose, one person discovered that city X is located NE of city Y. This means that, in relation to city X, city Y is located at:
A) north
B) east
C) southwest
D) northwest
E) southeast
Resolution
Alternative C. Taking city X as a reference, Y is positioned to the southwest.
By Paloma Guitarrara
Geography teacher