cardinal points

cardinal points

cardinal points

The four principal points on the horizon (see illustration). The north point (n) lies at the intersection of the horizon with the celestial meridian nearest the north celestial pole; the south point (s), diametrically opposite, is the equivalent intersection point closest to the south celestial pole. The east point (e) and west point (w) lie at the intersections of the horizon with the celestial equator, the east point being 90° and the west point 270° clockwise from the north point.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

Cardinal points

North, South, East, and West; elevations facing these directions are called cardinal fronts.

Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture Copyright © 2012, 2002, 1998 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

cardinal points

Cardinal points around the horizon.

The four intersections of the horizon with the meridian and the prime vertical circle (or simply the prime vertical). The intersection with the meridian is designated north and south, and the intersection with the prime vertical is designated east and west. The cardinal points are 90° apart; they lie in a plane with each other and correspond to the cardinal regions of the heavens. The four basic directions—north, south, east, and west—are collectively known as cardinal points. The four intermediate points—northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest—are called collateral, quadrantal, or intercardinal points.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Cardinal Points

 

the four principal points of the compass: north, south, east, and west. In Russian, the cardinal points are designated by the Cyrillic letters C (sever, “north”), K)(iug, “south”), B (vostok, “east”), and 3 (zapad, “west”) or by the corresponding Latin letters N, S, O (E), and W.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.