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3 Ways to Find North Without a Compass

by M3G on October 3, 2012

Table of Contents
3 Ways to Find North Without a Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: 3 Ways to Find North Without a Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Using an Analog Watch: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Using the Shadow Tip Method: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Using Two Sticks at Night: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

http://www.instructables.com/id/3-Ways-to-Find-North-Without-a-Compass/

Intro: 3 Ways to Find North Without a Compass

This will probably come in handy some day...

Step 1: Using an Analog Watch:

- First off, you need an analog watch set to the correct time; if it has been adjusted for Daylight Savings set it back an hour
- In the Northern Hemisphere:
Point the hour hand (the little one) at the sun
Imagine there is a line down the middle of the angle between the hour hand and the 12 o clock mark
The line down the middle of the angle is pointing South; so the opposite direction is North
- In the Southern Hemisphere:
Point the 12 o clock mark at the sun
Imagine there is a line down the middle of the angle between the 12 o clock mark and the hour hand
The line down the middle of the angle is pointing North

http://www.instructables.com/id/3-Ways-to-Find-North-Without-a-Compass/

Step 2: Using the Shadow Tip Method:

- Take a stick and place it upright so you can see its shadow; the taller the stick the better
- Make sure the shadow is on clear, level ground
- Mark the ground at the edge of the shadow with something small like a pebble
- Wait 10 or 15 minutes then mark the edge of the shadow again
- Make a straight line between the two marks; this is a rough East-West line
- The first mark is the West mark and the second mark is the East mark

Step 3: Using Two Sticks at Night:

- Lie down and drive one stick into the ground at eye level
- Drive a second, taller stick into the ground behind it so that the tips of the sticks line up with a bright star
- Watch the star for a few minutes; if it seems to move...
Up you are facing East
Down you are facing West
Right you are facing South
Left you are facing North

http://www.instructables.com/id/3-Ways-to-Find-North-Without-a-Compass/

Related Instructables

How to Navigate
with a Map and
Compass by
zwild1

Survival Skills
Study Guide The Trail of the
Grizzly by strods

duct tape
compass by
mikeasaurus

Basic Land
Navigation by
tomsweet65

How to find
'Polaris' - the
Emergency
North Star by
Celestial
ATTILAtheHUNgry
Navigation by
archistrage

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Comments
29 comments Add Comment

crazyzebb says:

Jun 13, 2013. 12:02 AM REPLY

or just ask your G.U.

Saitu says:

May 23, 2013. 10:25 AM REPLY

Dude, this is frickin brilliant, man! Love it!!!

M3G says:

May 23, 2013. 11:17 AM REPLY

Thanks!

MartijnD says:

May 7, 2013. 5:36 AM REPLY

And if it is cloudy and no sun, moon or stars can be seen, you can also look at moss on the base of trees, stones or buildings, this grows where the sun does
not shine, so northern hemisphere north, southern south.

frosty865 says:

Dec 6, 2012. 9:50 AM REPLY

Wow haven't seen those in years! They used to teach that in Army Basic. Good one!

M3G says:

Dec 6, 2012. 1:20 PM REPLY

Thanks!

EducationSmellsSweet says:

Nov 5, 2012. 5:01 PM REPLY

This is wonderful, I am going to use this information in my classroom, thank you!

M3G says:

Nov 5, 2012. 6:06 PM REPLY

You're welcome!

jfieldsfamily says:

Oct 22, 2012. 5:00 PM REPLY

Northern Hemisphere, US or CA, urban or suburban environment, look to the satellite dishes.

zomfibame says:

Oct 21, 2012. 6:33 AM REPLY

I like the 3rd one, using two sticks to track the movement of a star. Very cool.

M3G says:
Thanks!

http://www.instructables.com/id/3-Ways-to-Find-North-Without-a-Compass/

Oct 21, 2012. 8:15 AM REPLY

WriterChick says:

Oct 11, 2012. 4:53 PM REPLY

This is really, really clever. Anything which creates independence from gadgets (allowing that a pair of sticks doesn't constitute a "gadget") is always good.
Thank you for sharing.

M3G says:

Oct 11, 2012. 4:58 PM REPLY

Thank you!

jaypauldini says:

Oct 11, 2012. 4:47 PM REPLY

i always know which way is north. no matter where i am, wierd.

nailuj says:

Oct 8, 2012. 5:17 PM REPLY

What about finding the North Star? It seem to me that it would be much easier.

M3G says:

Oct 8, 2012. 6:04 PM REPLY

That would be easy, but not everyone knows where it is or what it looks like, and you can't see it in the Southern Hemisphere.

nailuj says:

Oct 8, 2012. 6:52 PM REPLY

Hmmmm. Good point.

XPinG says:

Oct 9, 2012. 7:47 AM REPLY

Well in the southern hemisphere you can find the south using the Southern Cross please read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crux

oud25 says:

Oct 8, 2012. 5:35 PM REPLY

would this work with the moon as well?

M3G says:

Oct 8, 2012. 6:06 PM REPLY

Good question! I'm not sure, ill have to try it and let you know.

GhettoEngineer says:

Oct 8, 2012. 7:21 PM REPLY

In my opinion (I haven't tested) this would not work, as the moon does not orbit based on our time, or rather our time is not based on it's orbit. The
reason that the sun works for this, is that our time has been based around its position in our sky. The sun, at noon, is always in the same place
(close), while the moon can rise, fall or be at its peak at any time of day or night, depending on its current phase.

M3G says:

Oct 8, 2012. 7:23 PM REPLY

Makes sense.

manuka says:

Oct 8, 2012. 1:36 AM

(removed by author or community request)

manuka says:

Oct 8, 2012. 1:37 AM REPLY

I'm down here in the South Seas & agree such basic direction finding can be VERY valuable indeed- especially when lost... The best technique depends
on how much time you have to wait around &/or observe of course. If a bunch of rascals are chasing you then a shadow tip may waste valuable escape
time! A few comments * The watch trick is well & good, but few people wear an analog type these days ! Simply face & check the sun ( rises East,sets West) for orientation
clues.
* Shadow sticks are dead simple & yield all sorts of insights- seasons & even latitude too.
* Overcast conditions may defeat sky aids, which is when the old "moss on damp side of the tree" trick assists. Naturally such moss (& other shade
loving plants) grows best away from the direct sun, so it'll be on the north side "up top" & south side "down under"
* Winds - cruel chilly north wind in northern hemi ( cold southerlies in south)
* MOON - rises East, sets west. Altitude in sky varies with seasons & phase, BUT when facing it at highest point you'll be looking south ( in northern
hemi) so north is behind you.
*Animals & insects -this depends on locality of course, but many build nest/lairs to exploit or limit solar pickup. So too do humans - sunniest side of house
usually has best aspect/decks etc
Many others ! Stan.

http://www.instructables.com/id/3-Ways-to-Find-North-Without-a-Compass/

M3G says:

Oct 8, 2012. 8:32 AM REPLY

Thanks for your insights! I thought that most people knew that the sun rose in the east and set in the west, so I didn't bother to include it. I didn't
include the wind & insect methods, as I thought them a little unreliable. As for the watch method, I agree; less people wear analog watches, but you
can always imagine an analog face o your digital watch. It's less accurate, but still works. As for the moss, I didn't know that. Thanks for letting me
know!

repguy2020 says:

Oct 8, 2012. 3:47 PM REPLY

I guess my watch makes me an analogueasaurus.

manuka says:

Oct 8, 2012. 12:04 PM REPLY

I recently quizzed a bunch of 11-12 yo. boys about direction finding, & very few appreciated the sun's rise & set compass positions... Sure - they knew where
it got up locally, but when well away from home they were confused !

audreyobscura says:

Oct 7, 2012. 11:16 PM REPLY

This is great, excellent for night hikes. This is the simplest way I have seen to correlate direction to star movement.

M3G says:
Thank you!

http://www.instructables.com/id/3-Ways-to-Find-North-Without-a-Compass/

Oct 8, 2012. 9:21 AM REPLY