Compass
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| - | A '''compass''' is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the Earth's [[magnetic pole]]s. It consists of a magnetized pointer (usually marked on the North end) free to align itself with [[Earth's magnetic field]]. The compass greatly improved the safety and efficiency of travel, especially ocean travel. A compass can be used to calculate [[Course (navigation)|heading]], used with a [[sextant]] to calculate [[latitude]], and with a [[marine chronometer]] to calculate [[longitude]]. It thus provides a much improved [[navigation]]al capability that has only been recently supplanted by modern [[devices]] such as the [[Global Positioning System]] (GPS). A compass is any magnetically sensitive device capable of indicating the direction of the [[North Magnetic Pole|magnetic north]] of a planet's [[magnetosphere]]. The face of the compass generally highlights the [[Cardinal direction|cardinal points]] of north, south, east and west. Often, compasses are built as a stand alone sealed [[Measuring instrument|instrument]] with a magnetized bar or needle turning freely upon a [[Lever|pivot]], or moving in a fluid, thus able to point in a northerly and southerly direction. The compass was invented in [[ancient China]] around 247 B.C., and was used for navigation by the 11th century. The dry compass was invented in [[Middle Ages|medieval]] Europe around 1300. | + | A '''compass''' is a [[navigational]] [[instrument]] for [[determining]] [[direction]] relative to the [[Earth]]'s [[magnetic pole]]s |
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| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| - | * [[Absolute bearing]] | ||
| - | * [[Beam compass]] | ||
| * [[Boxing the compass]] | * [[Boxing the compass]] | ||
| - | * [[Brunton compass]] | + | * [[Compass Point Studios]] |
| - | * [[Coordinate]]s | + | |
| - | * [[Earth Inductor Compass]] | + | |
| - | * [[Fluxgate compass]] | + | |
| - | * [[Hand compass]] | + | |
| - | * [[Inertial navigation system]] | + | |
| - | * [[Magnetic dip]] | + | |
| - | * [[Marching line]] | + | |
| - | * [[Magnetic Declination]] | + | |
| - | * [[Pelorus (instrument)]] | + | |
| - | * [[Radio compass]] | + | |
| - | * [[Radio direction finder]] | + | |
| - | * [[Relative bearing]] | + | |
| - | * [[Wrist compass]] | + | |
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A compass is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the Earth's magnetic poles
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Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Compass" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
