You can determine the cardinal points by the sun, stars, moon, moss, trees. Such orientation methods can come in handy on a camping trip if you have neither a map with a compass nor a gps-navigator.
In order to be well oriented in the terrain, it is necessary to be able to determine the cardinal points without using maps, compasses and navigation devices. Orientation using a map and a compass is not difficult, but there are situations when people go to nature and do not take a compass with a map with them, and the batteries in the gps-navigator run out. In order not to get lost in the forest, you need to be able to determine the cardinal points by the sun, stars, moss, trees, etc.
Orientation by the sun and stars
The sun can be used as a guide, but for this you need to know the exact time. The sun moves across the sky from east to west. However, here it is worth considering that in winter it rises closer to the southeast, and enters in the southwest direction.
In summer, you can navigate as follows: if you stand with your back to the sun at noon, your left will be west, and your right will be east. In winter, at noon, the sun is in the southeast, and if you stand with your back to it, the southwest will be on the left. And in spring and autumn, the sun is in the southeast at about 10:00 hours.
At night, when orientation by the sun becomes impossible, the direction of the cardinal points can be determined by the Polar Star, which is part of the constellation Ursa Minor. First you need to find the constellation Ursa Major, which resembles a bucket with a handle. On the territory of Russia, the "bucket" is visible at any time of the year, the only exceptions are the southern regions, where in the fall the Bear drops to the horizon.
If you draw an imaginary straight line through the two extreme stars forming the right wall of the "bucket" (opposite the handle of the "bucket"), it will point to the North Star. The length of the straight line is about five times the distance between the two stars through which the line was drawn. The direction of the line to the North Star coincides with the north direction.
Local orientation
Moss grows predominantly on the northern side of tree trunks, while lichens grow on the northern side of rocks and stones. However, such signs do not always guarantee one hundred percent accuracy in determining the cardinal points, therefore, for reliability, it is advisable to use the method of orientation by moss and lichens in conjunction with other methods. For example, you can pay attention to anthills - most often they are located on the south side near tree trunks and stumps.
In early spring, the southern direction can be identified by the melted snow. The side of slopes, hills and boulders that faces south and is warmed by the sun's rays more than the north. Therefore, on the southern side, the snow melts more intensively.
