How to Read a Compass

How to Guide: Reading a compass

In order to navigate through unknown terrain and read a map properly it is important to know how to read a compass. A compass is a navigational tool used for finding directions. The North Pole is magnetic and is important to the function of the compass. The compass needle swings so that one end is always pointing to the North Pole; this is due to its magnetism. The end of the needle that points to the north is marked so that it can be easily identified. The compass like any other circle is divided in to 360 degrees.

The intercardinal points of the compass are used to describe directions in between the cardinal points. Say for instance you drew a circle on the ground and marked the four cardinal points: North, South, East, and West. If you were given directions to walk toward a point that was on the line pointed north you would know where to go, but what if you were told to walk toward a point in between North and East? This is where the intercardinal points come in to play, if this was the case you would walk northeast.

This concept is taken even further for the additional eight points on a compass. These remaining points of the compass are called the secondary intercardinal points. These points lie halfway between the cardinal and intercardinal points. The direction and naming structure is similar to the intercardinal points. The cardinal point comes first and the intercardinal point follows. For example the first four secondary intercardinal points are: North-northeast, East northeast, East southeast and South-southeast.

The final four remaining points are: South-southwest, West southwest, West northwest, and North-northwest.