The skill of orientation on the terrain can be useful not only for avid travelers, but also for ordinary people who find themselves in an extreme situation. Knowing how to determine the cardinal points, you can easily find the desired direction without a compass.
Instructions
Step 1
Take your watch and point its small hand at the sun. Mentally divide the angle that the hand and the number 1 on the dial form in half with a line. She will show you the direction: in front there will be south, and behind - north. Remember to divide the corner to the left before 1 pm, and the corner to the right in the afternoon.
Step 2
Look at the sun at noon: at this time, at any time of the year, it will be in a southerly direction. At 13 o'clock, look for a short shadow from objects. Its direction will tell you where north is. The sun is in the east at 7 a.m. from February to April and from August to October. In the same months, you can see him at 19 o'clock in the west. From May to July at 8 am the sun can be observed in the east, at 6 pm in the west.
Step 3
Find the constellation Ursa Major at night. It is a bucket of seven bright stars. Draw a line in your mind through the two stars on the far right. On this line, count the distance five times, equal to the gap between these stars. Thus, you will find the North Star, located in the tail of the constellation Ursa Minor. Stand facing the North Star. She will point you north.
Step 4
Pay attention to the buildings around you. Lutheran and Christian churches have bell towers facing west, chapels and altars facing east. The raised edge of the lower crossbeam of the cross, located on the dome of the Orthodox Church, faces north, the lowered edge - to the south. In Catholic churches, altars are placed on the west side. If there is a Jewish synagogue or Muslim mosque nearby, be aware that their doors face north. The facades of Buddhist monasteries and pagodas face south. The exit from the yurts is usually made in the same direction. In village houses, most of the windows are cut from the south side. The paint on their outer walls fades more on the south side.
