Bearings
It is often difficult to navigate in places where there are no landmarks. Huge sailing ships travelled from one continent to another, with relative ease, using a compass and the stars as navigational aids.
The direction of an enemy battle cruiser, pictured in grey, from point 'A' is given in two ways:
- The conventional bearing
of the battle cruiser is
S 45o E of 'A'.
- The true bearing of the battle cruiser from 'A' is 045 o
Conventional bearings are given as the number of degrees one must turn east or west of north or south.
True bearings give the number of degrees one must turn in a clockwise direction from north. True bearings are expressed as a three digit number. Hence a 45 o angle is given as 045 o.
Consider the animation on the right. Notice how the conventional and true bearings are expressed.
