Concept in Definition ABC

The imperious need of man to be located. Yesterday and today the compass

Currently locating geographically is not a problem at all, the technology so advanced in this regard today has put at our service many electronic devices and applications to be used through these that precisely help us to locate ourselves in a geographical space that we do not know.

Before the fabulous technological development it was not so easy but it was not impossible either because there were men of science who did not rest until they found help in this regard. And the compass has been precisely one of those advances that occurred many, many years ago and that meant a before and after in terms of determining directions in the land surface. As is today the fabulous GPS (Global Positioning System) in terms of assisting us in the location of streets and highways ...

In any case, there are many nostalgic and melancholic people who technology does not finish dominating and who cannot and do not want to go out without their compass...

Determination of the direction of the earth's surface

It is known with the term of Compass to the instrument through which any direction of the earth's surface by means of a magnetic needle that always marks the magnetic poles North South.

The magnetized needle, then, points to the magnetic north, which will be slightly different for each area of ​​the planet and different from the geographic North. Meanwhile, it is the magnetism terrestrial what makes it work. The only place where it is totally useless is in the polar zones, north and south, as a consequence of the convergence of the lines of force of the Earth's magnetic field.

Its importance on the high seas

The compass is an instrument used especially on the high seas for hundreds of years, while in the middle of the twentieth century, the magnetic compass began to be displaced, especially in aircraft, by the gyroscopic compass, which is always facing the pole using a set of discs or rings, which rotate very fast because they are electrically moved and the friction forces that take advantage of the movement natural rotation of the earth. The main advantages of this type of compass over magnetic compasses is that point to the geographic north, namely, not magnetic north but the direction of the earth's axis of rotation and they are not affected by the metal hull of ships.

Zone calibration

The different latitudes found in the Earth's magnetic field, as a consequence that the inclination and the intensity of the same will vary according to them, makes it necessary that the compasses be calibrated at the request of its manufacturing in order to avoid an erroneous result in the marked direction. What those who make them normally do is calibrate them in advance for use in about five typical zones, zone one being the northern hemisphere; zone two that includes Mexico, all of Central America, Panama, North Africa, Colombia, Venezuela; in zone three, Peru, Bolivia, Central Africa and Brazil are integrated. In zone four are Uruguay, South of Argentina, Paraguay, South of Africa and New Guinea. And in zone five, Antarctica, New Zealand and Australia.

Origin of the compass

There are multiple debates about the origin of the compass, some attribute it to Mesoamerica, to population from the Olmecs, others to the Chinese and others to the Europeans, while there are other peoples and origins that are also attributed their creation.

The compasses that are used today for navigation, use a magnetized needle or disc inside a capsule filled with some liquid, usually oil, kerosene or alcohol and it will be that fluid that will cause the needle to stop quickly rather than repeatedly swinging around the magnetic north.

While compasses have remained virtually unchanged over time, some even in greatly improved versions, including lighting, satellite navigation systems, such as GPS, have managed to overcome them and offer in addition to precision, a greater amount of data.

Symbolic use of the term

On the other hand, the word compass is often used in a metaphorical sense to refer to a person or object that serves as a help, spiritual guide for someone by the huge experience that he has or because he is characterized by being a person very focused on his axis and who meditates a lot on any question before launching into action. For example, “Juan says that his wife Marta has been and is a kind of compass in his life that helps him to put his feet on the ground and to know which direction to take when he feels lost”.

Compass Topics