<p>You need to define an agreed standard for orientation of axis and origin.</p>

<p>What co-ordinate system you choose as a standard depends on your purpose.</p>

<p>Here are some examples and links : <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_coordinate_system">Celestial coordinate systems</a>.</p>

<p>Typical reference points are defined using very distant objects whose position can be measured accurately ( typically quasars ).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-21T17:00:36.460Z
Within solar system, adding some local objects like Earth Venus and Mars relative to your distant objects should increase accuracy greatly.
Wayfaring Stranger
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-19T12:58:56.673Z
2017-01-19T12:58:56.673Z
StephenG - Help Ukraine
<p>If I'm on a life boat, in the middle of the ocean, radioing another ship to come pick me up - I'd say something like "I'm 40 kilometers directly east of you."</p>

<p>In space, it's not that easy. How do you give a direction?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-19T14:37:57.490Z
By the distance to the Neutral Zone :-) .  (the point is that the StarTrek universe was really bad at identifying orientations and locations)
Carl Witthoft
<navigation>
How do we give directions in space?
Hans Sjunnesson
# How do we give directions in space?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-19)

If I'm on a life boat, in the middle of the ocean, radioing another ship to come pick me up - I'd say something like "I'm 40 kilometers directly east of you."

In space, it's not that easy. How do you give a direction?

**Tags:** navigation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: By the distance to the Neutral Zone :-) .  (the point is that the StarTrek universe was really bad at identifying orientations and locations)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-01-19. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

You need to define an agreed standard for orientation of axis and origin.

What co-ordinate system you choose as a standard depends on your purpose.

Here are some examples and links : [Celestial coordinate systems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_coordinate_system).

Typical reference points are defined using very distant objects whose position can be measured accurately ( typically quasars ).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Within solar system, adding some local objects like Earth Venus and Mars relative to your distant objects should increase accuracy greatly.  

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