in space how can u tell if North,South,East,and West?

Answer 1

Well, there really isn't such a thing inspace unless you define it relative to some stable distant landmarks. And since space is 3 dimensional, you need 2 more directions, like "up" and "down".

So pick a distant star or galaxy that does not apear to move as viewed from here. Call that direction "up". The opposite direction is then "down". Go exactly 90 degrees from either direction. Find a pair of stars or galaxys near it, then you can define a point relative to those two to be "North". The opposite direction can then be "South".

Finally go exactly 90 degrees from both of those axis. That direction is then say "East", and the opposite direction "West". You just invented a coordinate system for our neighborhood of the galaxy, similar to that one used by Hubble and most deep space probes like Voyager.

Answer 2

North, south, east and west most definitely have a meaning outside of Earth. But not always the same meaning. Any rotating reference frame (and that includes most every body in space) has a north pole, and that is defined using the Right-Hand Rule. If you curl your fingers of your right hand in the direction of rotation, the direction your thumb points is "North". Its opposite is South. East and west in space are not linear directions like they are on a 2-D map. They are angular directions. The direction a thing is spinning is East and its opposite is West. There are some exceptions, such as when a moon revolves in a different direction than the spin of the planet it revolves around. It that case astronomers choose to use the planet's frame of reference and say the moon travels in a "retrograde" orbit.

Answer 3

These directions only make sense in a 2 dimensional frame. Note that although the earth itself is 3 dimensional, that the surface we live on is in fact 2 dimensional! In space, we are free from this surface and are in 3 dimensional space, and therefore need 3 directions to specify a position, etc (NSEW is 2 directions, NS and EW).

Answer 4

In space there is no NSEW. These are all conventions designed on Earth because they have meaning. On earth we have defined poles, which means there is always a reference for north and south. In space, there is no (repeat: NO) constant direction.

Answer 5

nmorth south east and west only exist on a planet with magnetic poles. in space, since there is no reference point, you cannot even determin up from down.

Answer 6

On a galactic scale, we could use super-massive black hole at the center of the Milky way as a central reference point. A line from there to our Sun could be a galactic "prime meridian" referencing North/South.

It wouldn't be very useful on a 3 dimensional scale though.

Answer 7

there is no direction b/c our direction is based on the poles of the earth. in space it feels the same upside down as it does right side up or sideways.

Answer 8

There are no such directions in space, there is not even an up or a down.

Answer 9

In deep space, those concepts don't apply too much. If you are just in orbit, you have ground references and tracking stations telling you where you are.

Answer 10

those directions are relative to the earth's poles.
in space you would use coordinates, but it is still relative to *something* - like the earth, the sun, another planet, etc.