The Compass Rose The following slides show the steps in creating the compass rose. Following these steps should help you learn the different parts of a compass.
The Completed Compass Rose This is what the completed compass rose will look like.
The Starting Point Start by drawing a circle.
Add a Little Colour for Excitement! Add a little colour for excitement!
1 Now we re ready! Draw a horizontal line through the centre of the circle.
2 Draw a vertical line through the centre.
3 Now, start labeling the primary or cardinal (primary or principle) points of the compass. Notice that N is the first identified cardinal point.
4 Cardinal point placement continues.
5 Cardinal point placement continues.
6 Cardinal point placement is now complete.
7 The cardinal compass points have been placed. Notice that each pair of points is at a 90 0 angle. Now, start placing the compass bearings for the cardinal points.
8 Continue placing the compass bearings for the principal (cardinal) points on the compass rose.
9 Continue placing the compass bearings for the principal (cardinal) points on the compass rose.
10 Continue placing the compass bearings for the principal (cardinal) points on the compass rose.
11 The compass bearings for the cardinal points have now been identified. Important points: (1) Each cardinal point is at a 90 0 angle relative to the adjacent cardinal point. (2) The values for the compass bearings start at North and increment clockwise.
12 The next step is to identify and place the ordinal (secondary) points on the compass rose, relative to the cardinal points shown above.
13 To start the ordinal-point placement, place a diagonal that runs halfway between the North & East and West & South cardinal points on the compass rose.
14 Now, place another diagonal that runs halfway between the North & West and East and East & South cardinal points.
15 The next step is to identify and place the ordinal (secondary) points on the compass rose. NE is the first ordinal point identified.
16 Continue placing the ordinal points on the compass rose.
17 Continue placing the ordinal points on the compass rose.
18 The ordinal points have now been placed. The next step is to place the compass bearings (degrees) for each of the ordinal points.
19 Continue placing the compass bearings for the ordinal points.
20 Continue placing the compass bearings for the ordinal points.
21 Continue placing the compass bearings for the ordinal points.
22 The compass bearings for the ordinal points have now been placed. Important points: (1) Each ordinal point is located halfway between each pair of cardinal points [45 0 away from either cardinal point]. (2) The name of each ordinal point is a combination of each respective pair of cardinal points. (3) Each ordinal point starts with either North or South (i.e., the Poles) and ends in either East or West. (4) Each ordinal point is at a 90 0 angle relative to each adjacent ordinal point.
23 The next step is to identify what can be called the tertiary points on the compass rose. There are 8 such points, each located between adjacent cardinal- and ordinal-point pairs.
24 To make it easy to follow the placement of each tertiary compass point, the compass points and bearings for all cardinal and ordinal points have been dimmed.
25 The dashed line indicates the positioning of the first tertiary point. Notice that it is positioned halfway between N & NE and halfway between S & SW.
26 Continue adding the remaining dashed lines to indicate the location of the tertiary compass points. Make sure they are located between adjacent cardinal ordinal points. In this case, notice that the dashed line is positioned halfway between E & NE and halfway between W & SW.
27 Add the next dashed line to indicate the location of the tertiary compass points. Make sure that it is located between adjacent cardinal ordinal points. In this case, notice that the dashed line is positioned halfway between E & SE and halfway between W & NW.
28 The final dashed line to indicate the location of the remaining tertiary compass points is added halfway between S & SE and N & NW. Now that the locations for the tertiary points have been identified, the task is to identify each of the compass points for the 8 tertiary points.
29 The initial tertiary compass point has been identified: NNE. Notice that the name of this point starts with the adjacent cardinal point and ends with the adjacent ordinal point. The remaining 7 tertiary points follow the same pattern. Follow this approach and continue placing the remaining tertiary compass points.
30 Continue placing the compass points for the tertiary points.
31 Continue placing the compass points for the tertiary points.
32 Continue placing the compass points for the tertiary points.
33 Continue placing the compass points for the tertiary points.
34 Continue placing the compass points for the tertiary points.
35 Continue placing the compass points for the tertiary points.
36 All of the tertiary compass points have now been placed. The next step is to identify the respective compass bearings for each tertiary point. Remember that each tertiary point is halfway between the respective adjacent cardinal and ordinal points and that the values increment clockwise.
37 Continue placing the compass bearings for the tertiary points.
38 Continue placing the compass bearings for the tertiary points.
39 Continue placing the compass bearings for the tertiary points.
40 Continue placing the compass bearings for the tertiary points.
41 Continue placing the compass bearings for the tertiary points.
42 Continue placing the compass bearings for the tertiary points.
43 Continue placing the compass bearings for the tertiary points.
44 All of the compass bearings for the tertiary points have now been placed. Important Notes: (1) There are 8 tertiary points, 4 ordinal points, and 4 cardinal points [consisting of 16 such compass points in total on the compass rose]. (2) Each tertiary point is located halfway between adjacent cardinal and ordinal points. (3) The name of each tertiary point starts with the name of the adjacent cardinal point and ends with the adjacent ordinal point. (4) Each tertiary point is 22.5 0 higher in value than the adjacent cardinal point and 22.5 0 lower in value than the adjacent ordinal point. (5) Each tertiary point is a distance of 45 degrees away from any adjacent tertiary point. (6) Compass bearings can range anywhere from 0 0 to 360 0 on a compass.
Task Completed! The task is completed! The compass rose is complete. Now, can you reconstruct a compass rose from scratch, with all cardinal, ordinal, and tertiary compass points and with all of the respective compass bearings? Use the following template for this latter task. Copyright 2006 by Learningworld.ca
Compass Rose Template
Compass Rose Template
The End!