# navigation

> process of monitoring and directing the movement of a person, craft or vehicle from one place to another

**Wikidata**: [Q102066](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102066)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigation)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/navigation

## Summary
Navigation is the process of monitoring and directing the movement of a person, craft, or vehicle from one place to another. It functions as both a learned skill and an intentional human activity, encompassing a wide variety of methods ranging from marine and air travel to robot and animal orientation.

## Key Facts
- Defined as the process of monitoring and directing the movement of a person, craft, or vehicle from one place to another.
- Classified as a skill (learned ability) and an intentional human activity.
- Categorized under the Dewey Decimal Classification system as 629.045.
- Identified by the Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) sh85090425 and the GND identifier 4041457-7.
- Possesses a Wikipedia sitelink count of 85.
- Includes specific sub-disciplines such as marine navigation, air navigation, land navigation, robot navigation, and animal navigation.
- Utilizes specific methods like dead reckoning (calculating position), maritime pilotage (using fixed coastal points), and radio navigation.
- Related to the academic fields of mathematical geography and shipbuilding.
- Associated with historical figures such as Matthew Flinders, Henry Hudson, and Pierre Bouguer.

## FAQs
**What is the primary definition of navigation?**
Navigation is the process of monitoring and directing the movement of a person, craft, or vehicle from one place to another.

**What are the different types of navigation?**
Navigation encompasses various forms including marine navigation (for watercraft), air navigation (for aviation), land navigation (on foot or by vehicle), robot navigation (autonomous positioning and planning), and animal navigation (orientation without instruments).

**Is navigation considered an academic discipline?**
Yes, navigation is related to academic disciplines and fields of study, specifically mathematical geography, which deals with calculations on the Earth's surface.

**What tools are associated with navigation?**
Historical and technical tools associated with navigation include the Jacob's staff (a calibrated rod for measuring celestial altitude) and the astrocompass.

**Who are some notable figures related to navigation?**
Notable figures include Matthew Flinders (English navigator and cartographer), Henry Hudson (English explorer), Pierre Bouguer (French astronomer and mathematician), and Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (Persian astronomer).

## Why It Matters
Navigation is essential for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across the globe. It solves the fundamental problem of orientation and pathfinding in diverse environments, from open oceans and airspaces to unfamiliar terrain and robotic frames of reference. By integrating skills like dead reckoning and radio navigation with broader fields such as mathematical geography and shipbuilding, navigation underpins global transportation, exploration, and logistics.

## Notable For
- Encompassing biological capabilities, such as the ability of many animals to find their way accurately without maps or instruments.
- Including specialized cultural methods like Polynesian navigation, which is used to traverse the Pacific Ocean.
- Involving distinct techniques like maritime pilotage, which relies on fixed points of reference on the coast.
- Utilizing specific instruments like the Jacob's staff for measuring the altitude of celestial bodies.
- Serving as a critical component of shipbuilding and aviation.

## Body

### Definition and Classification
Navigation is fundamentally defined as the process of monitoring and directing the movement of a person, craft, or vehicle from one place to another. It is classified as a skill, representing a learned ability and competence to carry out an action, as well as an intentional human activity driven by purposeful motives. Within the context of academic organization, it is recognized as both an academic discipline and a field of study limited to a specific area of knowledge.

### Types and Methods
Navigation is categorized into several specific types based on the domain of travel and the methods employed:

*   **Marine and Water Navigation:** This includes marine navigation, which involves monitoring and directing the movement of watercraft, and maritime pilotage, a method that uses fixed points of reference on the coast. Polynesian navigation is a specific subset of methods developed to navigate the Pacific Ocean.
*   **Air and Land Navigation:** Air navigation applies the process to aviation, while land navigation is the discipline of following a route through unfamiliar terrain on foot or by vehicle.
*   **Technical and Autonomous Navigation:** Radio navigation utilizes radio signals for direction. Robot navigation is defined as a robot's ability to determine its own position in its frame of reference and plan a path toward a goal location. Dead reckoning is a means of calculating position used across various contexts.
*   **Biological and User Experience:** Animal navigation refers to the ability of many animals to find their way accurately without maps or instruments. Wayfinding describes the user experience of orientation and navigating within an environment.

### Related Fields and Tools
Navigation is closely linked to mathematical geography, which deals with calculations or measurements on the Earth's surface, and shipbuilding, the construction of ships and floating vessels. Specific tools associated with the practice include:

*   **Jacob's Staff:** A calibrated wooden rod with a sliding crosspiece used for measuring the altitude of celestial bodies or the height of distant objects.
*   **Astrocompass:** A navigational instrument used for determining direction based on the position of celestial bodies.

### Historical and Academic Context
The field of navigation has been shaped by numerous scientists, explorers, and astronomers throughout history. Notable individuals include:

*   **B. N. Suresh:** An Indian scientist.
*   **Matthew Flinders:** An English navigator and cartographer (1774–1814).
*   **William Chauvenet:** An American academic (1820–1870).
*   **Pierre Bouguer:** A French astronomer and mathematician (1698–1758).
*   **Henry Hudson:** An English explorer (born 1565).
*   **Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi:** A Persian astronomer (903–986).

### Structured Data and Identifiers
Navigation is extensively cataloged in global information systems. It is identified by the Dewey Decimal Classification number 629.045, the Library of Congress Control Number sh85090425, and the GND identifier 4041457-7. The entity has a high sitelink count of 85 on Wikipedia, reflecting its broad relevance and usage across multiple languages. Additional identifiers include the U.S. National Archives ID (7094) and the BNF identifier (ph136698).

## References

1. [Nuovo soggettario](https://thes.bncf.firenze.sbn.it/termine.php?id=7094)
2. Nuovo soggettario
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. BBC Things
5. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
6. BabelNet
7. Quora
8. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Navigation-R9DD4)
9. National Library of Israel
10. KBpedia
11. GF WordNet