Compass Point (point)
One 32nd of a turn (11.25 degrees), the spacing of the 32 points of the traditional compass rose such as north-north-east.
1 compass point = 0.03125 turns (exactly).
About the compass point
Before sailors routinely steered by degrees, they steered by points. The traditional compass rose splits the horizon into 32 points spaced 11.25 degrees apart. The four cardinal and four intercardinal directions make eight principal winds 45 degrees apart, half-winds such as north-northeast bring the count to 16 at 22.5 degrees, and quarter-winds with names like northeast by east complete the 32. Later navigation extended the system to 128 directions using half and quarter points, though compass roses rarely labeled them.
Crews practiced boxing the compass, naming all the points in order, and used points for relative bearings, such as an obstacle two points off the starboard bow, which is 22.5 degrees. Medieval Mediterranean sailors gave the eight main winds Italianate names, among them Tramontana for north, Levante for east, and Ponente for west, and portolan charts color-coded the principal, half, and quarter winds. A right angle spans exactly 8 points.
Sources: Wikipedia: Points of the compass; Wikipedia: Right angle
Compass Point conversion chart
1 compass point expressed in every other angle unit:
| Unit | 1 compass point |
|---|---|
| Degrees | 11.25 |
| Radians | 0.1963495408 |
| Gradians | 12.5 |
| Turns | 0.03125 |
| Arcminutes | 675 |
| Arcseconds | 40,500 |
| Milliarcseconds | 40,500,000 |
| Milliradians | 196.3495408 |
| Right Angles | 0.125 |
| Octants | 0.25 |
| Sextants | 0.1875 |
| Hour Angles | 0.75 |
| Mils (NATO) | 200 |
| Zodiac Signs | 0.375 |
| Mils (Soviet) | 187.5 |
| Streck | 196.875 |
| Binary Degrees | 8 |
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