do we have directions in space?

Answer 1

I think we can say we have directions in the x,y,z axes of the 3 dimensions of space on a local Euclidean level but as for Einsteinian spacetime I'm not so sure. We intuitively recognize and profoundly experience time's arrow of causality from past towards the future but we really can't imagine the true 4 dimensional shape of spacetime, and so we can't really have that 4th "direction".

The other thing Relativity tells us is that all 4 directions in spacetime are relative: So spacetime curls and curves around massive objects and so all directions in spacetime become quite distorted on relativistic scales.

You could decide to travel toward a black hole's event horizon, but it would just keep receding away from you in spacetime, right up to the moment you became one with its singularity. So how could you ask your fellow astronaut directions TO the event horizon, a place you can never reach, let alone AWAY from it ? On the other hand, your fellow astronaut, after giving you a course to steer towards the event horizon of a massive black hole would observe you following that course forever at a considerable distance from the black hole singularity itself.

So "Do you know the way to Santa Fe?" or "Which way to the Moon?" I can answer you well, but what about "Which way to the past?" or "Which way to the future?"...

Which way to the horizon? All directions at once? Whither the Big Bang?

It's complicated.

Answer 2

Yes, we have directions in space. However, directions are always relative to something, so I am sure that as we continue to explore and catalog landmarks, that we will have an ever expanding list of roadmarks to help guide our way. It is one thing to give directions like "go twenty miles due West" of where you are; but, that ignores the intervening hills, valleys, and streams; so, we find it more useful to say: take Route A to point B, then turn south on Route C, until you get to point D. We are getting to the latter, and it will happen as we move from exploratory trail blazing to the development and exploitation of extra-terrestial resources.

Answer 3

No. Not in the sense of East, West, North, and South. Those are all references to the magnetic poles on Earth.

In space you would have:
Asimuth
Elevation
and
Distance.

To visualize that concept,
stand in the center of a large, empty field.
Place one arm down at your side,
and the other arm straight out in front of you.

If you turn around, you will move through
360 degrees of Azimuth.

If you keep your arm straight out, parallel to the ground,
that would be zero degrees Elevation. From zero you could
raise your arm (going into positive degrees of elevation), or lower your arm (going into negative degrees of elevation).

When your arm is pointing straight up, that would be Positive 90 degrees Elevation, and when it pointed straight down, that would be negative 90 degrees Elevation.

Now given that we are pointing somewhere in that manner, reaching some desired spot in Space would require traveling along that line for a given distance, what ever that might be.

And if you recall from your basic math courses, Distance =
Rate Times Time. So you would begin thinking in terms of cruise speed of your space vehicle at say 50,000 Miles Per Hour, and traveling at that speed for one hour is

50,000 x 1 Hr = 50,000 Miles.
50,000 x 2 Hr = 100,000 Miles
50,000 x 3 Hr = 150,000 Miles, etc., etc.

So your directions in Space would be

Go on a heading of 121 Degrees, Elevation +21 degrees, at
Standard Ship Velocity for 3 Hours to reach rendezvous.

Lastly, since there is no top, bottom, up or down in Space, we first have to get everyone giving or talking about directions to orient themselves in some standard identical manner. One way to do that would be to place the Sun at Zero degrees Azimuth and the star "Polaris" at Positive 90 Degrees on their dials. if everyone did that at the beginning, then all of the directions given would make sense.

Failure to orient yourself correctly will result in folks going off in all kinds of crazy directions.

Also remember that degrees can be divided down into finer parts such as "Minutes" and "Seconds" for really accurate travel. 1 Degree = 60 minutes of arc.
1 Minute = 60 Seconds of arc.

Answer 4

i think of you're bearing on navigation in area, it is extra elementary than you think of! in case you left earth in a spaceship, you could navigate through figuring out on 3 or 4 stars as a physique of reference noting their place in area and inclination. those stars does not depart your view for hundreds of years! in assessment to navigating commonly used products on land that disappear from view after some miles down the line! So as quickly as your ships computers are locked on the appointed stars you will continuously comprehend the place you're in area relative to earth. Have a brilliant day.

Answer 5

Yes, we astronomical coordinates to locate objects in space, like right ascension and declination, that work like longitude and latitude here on Earth. We also use stars, and constellations to guide spaceships, and telescopes.

Answer 6

sure!

* Inclination
* Longitude of the ascending node
* Argument of periapsis
* Eccentricity
* Semimajor axis
* Mean anomaly at epoch

these are the orbital elements that define your position in space. they will tell us where you are, what you are doing and where you are going.

beats the heck out of "If you get to the railroad crossing, you went too far"