Navigating with what you have on you

[bkt]

Thanks, Patch, for making me remember these. Your post of Space Distraction and that picture of the Big Dipper did the trick. It's likely most of you are aware of this info, but you can determine North with a regular analog watch.

To use your watch as a compass in the northern hemisphere, hold the watch horizontal and point the hour hand at the sun. Half way between that point and the twelve o'clock mark on your watch points to the south. For more accuracy, push a small stick in the ground upright, which will cast a more definite shadow. Instead of pointing the hour hand or twelve o’clock marker towards the sun, you’ll point it towards and along the stick’s shadow. Obviously, this only works during the day.

At night, assuming it isn't cloudy, find the Big Dipper. The two stars that make up the pan farthest from the handle make a line. Follow that line to the next brightest star. That star is Polaris, or the North Star, and the direction you must face to view it points reasonably accurately north.

 

[Patchouli]

Thanks, Patch, for making me remember these. Your post of Space Distraction and that picture of the Big Dipper did the trick. It's likely most of you are aware of this info, but you can determine North with a regular analog watch.

To use your watch as a compass in the northern hemisphere, hold the watch horizontal and point the hour hand at the sun. Half way between that point and the twelve o'clock mark on your watch points to the south. For more accuracy, push a small stick in the ground upright, which will cast a more definite shadow. Instead of pointing the hour hand or twelve o’clock marker towards the sun, you’ll point it towards and along the stick’s shadow. Obviously, this only works during the day.

At night, assuming it isn't cloudy, find the Big Dipper. The two stars that make up the pan farthest from the handle make a line. Follow that line to the next brightest star. That star is Polaris, or the North Star, and the direction you must face to view it points reasonably accurately north.

View attachment 46541

From this website: Where is the Big Dipper?

Doesn't the location of the Big Dipper change from season to season? Or rather, year round?
What then?

 

[Patchouli]

My daughter was using different apps on her phone while we were going along. Compass, constellations, there is a lot out there, and I was grumbling because I didn't have a compass on my dashboard. lol
Edited to add: I can read really I can. As seen above, it shows what then with the outside star of the dipper ladle pointing to the North Star, always.

 

[Peanut]

I always look for a stand alone cedar tree. The majority of it's limbs point to the strongest source of sunlight. If nothing is shading it, the limbs always point south.

The limbs on this particular tree point southwest. It's shaded by large trees in the morning. Once you know which direction is southerly it's easy to see if a tree is shaded.

 

[Bacpacker]

Big dipper rotates around Polaris aka The North Star thru the year. Right now in the evening it is in the northwestern sky.

 

[joel]

Smart phone do a lot until the battery dies. You should have a entrance & anlternative exit plan marked on two maps. One to take with you & one to leave with a friend / trusted family member. Mark all the roads & towns on the border of the woods. This must be done before you leave to enter the woods/ wilderness.

 

[SheepDog]

I just go to sleep, I ALWAYS wake up with my head to the north. Sad but true.

 

[dademoss]

I just go to sleep, I ALWAYS wake up with my head to the north. Sad but true.

You have a magnetic personality

 

[bkt]

From this website: Where is the Big Dipper?

Doesn't the location of the Big Dipper change from season to season? Or rather, year round?
What then?
View attachment 46549

Take a look at the two stars that make up the side of the pan farthest from the handle. They ALWAYS point to the North Star. Your example is a perfect illustration.

 

[Haertig]

The Big Dipper makes the complete move you illustrate below EVERY DAY. The move shown below is due to the Earth's rotation around it's axis. One rotation = one day. The Big Dipper does not move relative to Earth. Well, it does, slightly, due to the Earth's circling the sun and other far distant movement in the universe - but nothing you'd notice without highly specialized instruments. What you observe when it appears to be moving is caused by the Earth rotating on its axis.

Doesn't the location of the Big Dipper change from season to season? Or rather, year round?
What then?
View attachment 46549

 

[Meerkat]

One subject I neve got into except in Bible study about Pleisdes,Orion and Draco.To much other things now to do so hope I don't have to use it.

ronomical Discovery in Revelation!
www.fivedoves.com/ac/kevinh1212.htm
It recently occurred to me that the dragon appearing in heaven (verse 3) was actually referring to the constellation DRACO. In fact, the word for 'dragon' used in the Bible in the Greek language is DRAKON (G1404). The Bible goes on in verse 4 to say that the dragon's tail 'drew the third part of the stars of heaven

 

[Haertig]

Many people have trouble finding Draco, because it's much larger than they expect. Its tail wraps around between the Big and Little Dippers.

 

[SheepDog]

You have a magnetic personality

You've seen some of my ex-girl friends!
Some people are pigeon toed, I'm pigeon headed.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Dang does this mean I need to buy a watch hahahaha