The Compass How a Small Navigational Instrument Changed...

â€Å"Navigation, in its simplest form, means to find your way to a point and back again.† For much of human history, naval navigation consisted of travelling on rivers and waterways, and when at sea, following the coastline so to not get lost. The compass changed that; sailors could boldly sail into the middle of an Ocean, and know that if they headed west, all they had to do to return was head east. The compass itself is a simple navigational instrument that contains a magnetic component that aligns itself with the Earth’s own magnetic pole, allowing the user to know the directions of North and South, and subsequently East and West. Due to the ease of use, and the efficiency of the compass, it played a major role in the Age of Exploration,†¦show more content†¦The compass arrived in Europe in the twelfth century A.D. by sea from the Arabs as the first European reference to it is one of Alexander Neckham, a St. Albans monk in the twelfth century. The birthp lace of the modern European magnetic compass was then in Amalfi, where, between 1295 and 1302, a perfected version of the Chinese compass was created in the form of a round box with a magnetic component, a compass card, wind rose, and the 360 degrees marked out. It is important to note that the main use for the compass in Europe was navigation, opening the doors to its potential as a significant navigational tool. The advantages of the compass become clear when compared to earlier methods of navigation, early tools, and those used at the time of the compass. Early navigation relied heavily on sight, memory, and estimations. Navigators would estimate their positions based on the constellations, the sun, the moon, and visual cues like islands and the shore. Early seafarers stayed close to the land, so they would follow the coast to their destination. While this is not a bad idea, it can be inefficient if following the coast is a longer distance than heading by the water. The earliest navigational tool available to seafarers is dead reckoning. Dead reckoning is the act of estimating location based on the distance travelled, which in turn came from the time travelled and an estimate of the average velocity of the vessel. However, an error in the calculations,Show MoreRelatedSecurity Forces51988 Words   |  208 PagesThis can be either OPCON or TACON based on the situation. They mostly have OPCON because they manage day to day operations and ensure unit instructions are implemented. The Operations Superintendent would have OPCON and TACON as well. Making small changes to how we operate as an organization to become more effective in daily operations would be TACON. The flight chief is the best example of TACON as they run the flight who is conducting the daily operations. They are told to conduct guardmount, butRead MoreNfpa 100630569 Words   |  123 Pages3.23, Collapse Support Operations. 3.3.64 Excavation. Any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface, formed by the removal of earth. [1670, 2004] 3.3.65* Extinguishing Devices. Devices used to suppress fire, including, but not limited to, CO2 extinguishers, dry chemical extinguishers, hose lines, and fire-fighting foam. 3.3.66* Face(s). The vertical or inclined earth surface formed as a result of excavation work. [1670, 2004] 3.3.67 Failure. The breakage, displacement, or permanentRead MoreNfpa 100630576 Words   |  123 Pages3.23, Collapse Support Operations. 3.3.64 Excavation. Any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface, formed by the removal of earth. [1670, 2004] 3.3.65* Extinguishing Devices. Devices used to suppress fire, including, but not limited to, CO2 extinguishers, dry chemical extinguishers, hose lines, and fire-fighting foam. 3.3.66* Face(s). The vertical or inclined earth surface formed as a result of excavation work. [1670, 2004] 3.3.67 Failure. The breakage, displacement, or permanent