By what signs can the parties be identified? Orientation based on local and natural features

Not only special devices, but also Mother Nature herself, who has a lot of features, can help in determining your location and calculating the sides of the horizon. But this type of terrain orientation is used only in rare cases, since the reliability of this method is much lower than elementary ones.

Orientation by plants

Moss

Perhaps this is one of the most accurate ways to determine the North-South route. After all, moss and lichens grow exclusively on the northern side, and their ability to grow in the shade makes it possible to navigate the area not only with the help of trees and wooden buildings, but also with the help of large stones.

Tree bark

If you look closely at the tree bark, you will notice that on the north side it is always much darker and rougher. Of course, one tree will not show you the exact direction, but a group of trees will cope with this task almost perfectly.

Take, for example, the trunk of a pine tree. After a rainstorm, it begins to actively darken. And this phenomenon always originates from the north side. And all because the bark of coniferous trees has a secondary crust, which tends to form in shaded places and swell.

And in hot weather, pine can be just as useful. The main thing is to carefully determine which side of the trunk releases the largest amount of resin. This sign will point you in the south direction.

Grass

Even grass can become a good guide for a traveler. It is worth remembering that in open clearings the grass will grow thicker and more actively from the north. If you start from separate natural objects (stones, stumps, trees), then it is worth considering that in this case the grass will grow thicker on the south side. But it retains its greenness and richness, of course, from the north.

Orientation by artificial objects: Clearings

Often, huge forests are separated by clearings, with the help of which you can easily determine all four cardinal directions. Their felling takes place in a stationary mode from North to South and from West to East.

The territory is marked by a network of quarter posts. Before installation, their tops are cut off and the number of the clearing to which this or that post corresponds is burned (painted). Accordingly, the countdown from the first pillar is North-Western direction, from the last - South-East.

The quarterly network greatly facilitates not only the implementation of various tasks of forestry enterprises, but also orientation on the terrain for travelers. So this method is very simple and convenient in practice.

If you follow these simple rules, then finding your way around the area will not be difficult, and, therefore, the path will be easy and pleasant.

Travel with pleasure!

In order to navigate the terrain well, you need to be able to determine the cardinal directions without the use of maps, compasses and navigation devices. Orientation using a compass is not difficult, but there are situations when people go into nature and do not take a compass with a map with them, and the batteries in the GPS navigator are low. In order not to get lost in the forest, you need to be able to determine the cardinal directions by the sun, stars, moss, trees, etc.

Orientation by the sun and stars

The sun can be used as a reference, but to do this you will need to know the exact time. The sun moves across the sky from east to west. However, it is worth considering that in winter it rises closer to the southeast and sets in the southwest direction.

In summer, you can navigate as follows: if you stand with your back to the sun at noon, the west will be on your left and the east on your right. In winter, at noon the sun is in the southeast, and if you stand with your back to it, southwest will be on your left. And in spring and autumn the sun is in the southeast at about 10:00 o'clock.

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 ladle with a handle. On the territory of Russia, the “bucket” is visible at any time of the year, with the exception of the southern regions, where in the fall the Bear descends to the horizon.

If you draw an imaginary straight line through the two extreme stars that form 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 approximately 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.

Orientation based on local characteristics

Moss grows primarily on the north side of tree trunks, while lichens grow on the north side of rocks and stones. However, such signs do not always guarantee one hundred percent accuracy in determining the cardinal directions, therefore, for reliability, it is advisable to use the method of orientation by moss and lichens in combination 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 determined by melted snow. The side of slopes, hills and boulders that faces south and is heated by the sun's rays more than the north. Therefore, on the south side the snow melts more intensely.

Sources:

• How to determine cardinal directions?
• Orientation by the Sun and stars
• Orientation based on local and natural features

1. According to the polar star. She always points north. In the sky you need to find the constellation Ursa Major. This will only work if the sky is clear. The North Star is located at the end of the Ursa Minor bucket, and a distance set aside five times, equal to the side of the Big Bucket, will help you “reach” it. If you mentally perpendicular to the earth from the polar, then north will be in that direction.

2. According to the constellation of the Southern Cross. This method can be used in the southern hemisphere. The Southern Cross is four stars. To the left of it are the pointer stars. If you draw a perpendicular Southern Cross and intersect it with the line from these two stars, the direction where they intersect will be south.

3. By the sun. If you have a watch, you can use it in sunny weather. We point the hour hand towards the sun. If you divide the angle obtained between 12 o'clock and the hour hand in half, then this middle will be the direction of south. You can use this method from 6.00 to 18.00.

4. By the moon. Again, you will need hours. The radius of the moon is divided into six parts. Let's look at how many parts of the moon's disk are visible at a given minute. By the hour, the observation is made, you need to add the number of visible parts if the moon is waning, or subtract it if the moon is waxing. The number you get is on the dial and pointed at the moon. In winter, we draw a line between this line and number 1, and between number 2. The median line will direct south.

You can determine the cardinal directions by natural indicators:

1. Everyone knows that moss grows on trees on the north side. The same applies to stumps, snags, stones, etc.

2. Snow melts faster on the south side of rocks, hills and slopes.

3. Birds fly north and south in autumn.

4. In the heat of summer, resin on spruce and pine trees is released mostly from the south side.

5. Mushrooms prefer to appear on the north side of trees. They practically don’t grow from the south.

6. Ants make their houses on the south side of a tree, stump or bush. Also, the southern side of the anthill is flatter.

7. Oaks and pines grow mostly on the southern slopes; beech, spruce and fir love the northern slopes.

8. Near the stones, the soil is wetter on the south side.

Video on the topic

Mechanical watches may stop. Electronic ones may have a low battery. Or the electricity will simply be turned off for some time time, and then the time data will be lost and the clock will have to be set again. And it is best to establish the exact time. You just need to get to know him first.

You will need

• - TV or radio
• - telephone, landline or cell phone
• - a computer or communicator connected to the Internet

Instructions

Turn on the radio or TV. Most radio stations, especially serious ones, report accurately time at the beginning of every hour. Central television channels show screensavers depicting a clock before news releases; a number of television channels constantly show informers with the exact time and weather in the region in one of the corners of the screen.

Call the telephone service for the exact time of your city. The telephone number for this service can be found in the telephone directory. If there is no such service in your city, call the service in another city. However, in this case you will have to pay for long-distance telephone services. An answering machine will inform you about the exact time at the telephone service. If you don't have a landline phone, you can call this number on your cell phone. But it would be better to call the operator’s help desk first. It is quite possible that your operator itself provides the service for determining the exact time, and this service will cost you much less.

Use online services to determine the exact time. There are many of them and they are all free. The advantage of this method is that you can find out the exact time anywhere in the world, and not just in your place of residence. Go to one of these sites, select the region you are interested in and check out the results. Also, if you wish, you can quickly calculate the time difference between your city and another by activating the appropriate service function.

Install a specialized application (widget) on your smartphone or communicator that shows the exact time. This application will receive data from the Internet using GPRS, EDGE or 3G connection in accordance with the tariffs of your mobile operator, and as a result, accurate time the region you are interested in will always be on the screen of your phone. In addition to the time, some widgets also show weather data and other information. The applications themselves can be found and downloaded on the Internet either for free or for a small fee. The detailed installation mechanism depends on the technical features of your phone model. Details can be obtained from the application developer or from other users of this program.

In order to navigate the terrain, you first need to know in what direction you are sides Sveta. If you do not have a compass, then on a sunny day or moonlit night in high latitudes, a wristwatch with arrows can replace it.

Instructions

Taking into account summer and maternity time in Russia, the sun is in the south at 14:00 in the summer and at 13:00 -. Mentally divide in half the angle between the hour hand and the direction of the numbers 2 or 1, depending on the time of year - the bisector will indicate the direction to the south. This method is more accurate the further from . In mid-latitudes in summer, the error of this method can reach 20 degrees. In the hemisphere, the direction north is determined in this way.

To determine the location of the sides Sveta, first you need to calculate where the sun should be. To do this, mentally imagine the full moon, draw its radius and divide it into 6 parts. Look at a real lunar crescent and count how many such parts can be contained in the visible part of the lunar disk. Remember the number.

Practice as often as possible. Of course, you won’t be able to order the clouds to disperse, since you need to practice. But if it’s a clear night, never miss the opportunity to find familiar constellations.

Buy now. In general, if you are nearsighted and don't wear glasses, this should be your first point. It is simply impossible to see many constellations with the naked eye. A good place to start is a small telescope, ideal for such night observations. If you become interested in astronomy seriously, you might consider purchasing more equipment.

Video on the topic

When going out into nature, into the forest to pick berries or mushrooms, don’t forget a compass and a map of the area. But even without them, you shouldn’t despair and panic; there are many folk signs with which you can determine the cardinal directions and thus find your way.

You will need

• - compass;
• - watch.

Instructions

If you have a compass, when you go into the forest, set it up. Move 50-100 meters away from the road, turn in the direction where you intend to return. Shake the compass slightly and place it on your palm. Align the hand with the north marker on the dial. Look at the value of your degree. This will be your guide. When you decide to head back, also align the arrow with the north and turn your face there. Now find the vector of your road and move there. Adjust your course by repeating the entire procedure from time to time.

You can also tell by the clock sides. Hold them in the palm of your hand, pointing the hour hand towards the sun. Divide the angle between the number 1 and the hour hand in half - this is the direction to the south. Accordingly, the opposite side will be northern, the one on the right hand will be eastern, and the one on the left will be . Set the clock to local time.

Navigate to forest, these are peculiar natural ones. Look for a dark moss stripe on the tree trunks - it is located in the northern sides. It is formed because the bark dries out faster from the sun on the south side, and moss grows on the opposite side, where there is moisture. In hot weather, resin appears on the trunks of spruce and pine trees; of course, there is more of it in the south, where the sun heats the tree.

Watch the butterflies; when they rest, they fold their wings so that the sun does not heat them. When the light moves, the insects also turn. In the morning, the folded wings of the butterfly are directed to the east, at noon - to the south, - to the west.

When looking for berries, pay attention to which sides Stumps and hummocks produce riper and brighter fruits. This will be the south. In the clearings, a greenish ripening barrel of a berry will show you the north. Mushrooms and dense moss grow better from the north sides.

Find a forest anthill. Its southern side is flatter than the northern. Ants build their settlements next to trees with sides south. In spring, try to navigate in the snow. It melts faster on the south side. But in ravines, holes, and hollows, snow melts better with , because the rays do not fall on the opposite part of the depressions.

In a clear night sky, identify the North Star - it is always motionless and is located in the north in the constellation Ursa Major.

Sources:

• How to navigate in the forest

Modern navigation devices allow you to navigate the terrain quite accurately. However, they have one significant drawback: they require energy sources. Cases when you need to look for other ways to determine your location are not so rare. One of the most common methods is orientation by the sun.

You will need

• - mechanical or electromechanical watches.
• - local map.

2 hours later than expected according to astronomical standards

Helpful advice

The position of the cardinal points by the sun can be determined at other times. At 6 o'clock in the morning astronomical time it is in the east, at 9 - in the southeast, at 12 - in the south, at 15 - in the southwest, and at 18 - in the west. The sun and clock orientation method is quite accurate, but if possible, combine it with others. If there are trees nearby, pay attention to which side they are covered with moss. This is the north side. In hot weather, resin from coniferous trees is released more abundantly from the south side. An anthill is most often located on the south side.

Moss can grow in various conditions and places - at home, on trees, in the garden, on rocks. The moss is rich in texture and free of any known pests or diseases. Besides, he is unpretentious. Many people grow moss on rocks in their garden on their own.

Which moss is best to choose for growing on rocks?

Some people like the look of moss-covered rocks on their property. People even grow their own moss. The best mosses for growing on stones are Lunularia, Astilbe, Sphagnu, Dicentra, Heuchera, Kupena and Hosta. Javan, Leaf-stemmed and Side-fruited mosses grow no worse on stones. All these types of moss grow in different conditions. Some types of plants love shade, while others prefer sunny places. But these types of moss have one thing in common - they all grow well in flower beds and stones. The most popular among other species is Sphagnum moss. It is easy to get it in the forest and plant it at home. However, you can take any moss. In order to grow it on canna, you need to add kefir and sugar to it. Then this mixture should stand for seven hours, after which it is poured onto the stones. In order for the moss to take root in the stone, it is necessary to fill it well with water for three weeks. In addition, you can buy moss at a flower shop. Then it should be carefully planted near the stone. After some time, the plant will absorb the stone. You can also plant Sedum, which resembles moss. It looks very attractive on the stones.

Moss on a stone as an element of garden decoration

In garden areas there are very often architectural decorative elements beautifully covered with moss. Very often, garden sculptures are decorated with moss. Such elements can be covered with moss either entirely or only in some specific areas. Moss is usually used in retro garden design. In this case, the moss helps give the sculptures an antique look. Moss also looks natural in a Japanese garden. In modern landscapes, mosses soften the geometric rough textures of concrete elements. Moss is often used to make stone garden paths look attractive. This technique is used not only in traditional, but also in modern landscapes.

How to grow moss on a rock

Stone also includes concrete, brick surfaces and pottery ceramics. In order to grow moss on this basis, it is better to scrape the material from mossy stones. Although you can also use dry natural moss. Moss thrives best on porous stones or rough-textured surfaces. To do this, prepare a paste-like mixture according to a recipe that requires two glasses of kefir or natural yogurt and about one and a half glasses of crushed moss. These components need to be mixed. As a result, the consistency of the mixture should be similar to cream. The mixture is applied to areas of the stone where moss will grow. To do this, the mixture is smeared on the stone with your hand or a soft brush. The rate at which moss develops on the surface of a stone may vary. But in about six weeks it will be clear whether the moss has taken root on the stone or not.

Find your bearings- this means being able to determine your location relative to the sides of the horizon, surrounding objects and landforms, find the desired direction of movement and maintain this direction along the way. If you don’t have a compass, you can determine the countries of the world by the sun, stars, and local landmarks.

Orientation by the sun.

In the northern hemisphere, the direction north can be determined by standing with your back to the sun at local noon. Your shadow will indicate the direction north, west will be on the left, east will be on the right. In the southern hemisphere, the shadow will point south. Local noon is determined using a vertical pole 0.5 - 1 m long. Shortly before the expected noon, mark the position of the end of the shadow with a peg and make marks until it begins to lengthen again. The moment when the shadow was shortest corresponds to the passage of the sun through a given meridian, i.e. local noon.

Determining cardinal directions using a watch.

Lay the clock horizontally and rotate it so that the hour hand points to the sun. Mentally draw a line through the center of the dial in the direction of number 1 (13 o'clock) (from October 1 to April 1). The bisector of the angle formed between this line and the hour hand shows the direction to the south; from April 1 to October 1, the bisector is drawn between the hour hand and the direction to the number 2 (14 o'clock), and before noon it is necessary to divide the angle on the dial, which the hour hand should pass before 13 (14) o'clock, and after noon the corner that she passed after 13 (14) o'clock. This method of orientation gives relatively correct results in northern and partly middle latitudes, especially in winter, less accurately in spring and autumn, but in summer the error in orientation can reach 25 degrees.In southern latitudes, using this method is not recommended.

Orientation by the stars.

In the northern hemisphere, the direction of north can be determined using the North Star, located approximately above the north pole. To do this, find the constellation Ursa Major in the sky with a characteristic arrangement of stars in the form of a bucket with a handle. Draw an imaginary straight line through the outer two stars of the bucket. Plot the distance between these stars on the line five times. At the end of the fifth segment there will be a bright Polar Star. The direction towards it will correspond to the direction to the north with an accuracy of 1 degree.
In the southern hemisphere, the cardinal directions are determined by the constellation Southern Cross, four stars arranged in the shape of a cross tilted to one side. The imaginary line running along its long axis is directed south.
The true southern cross should not be confused with the false one, which has five stars, less bright and more distant from each other than in the true one.

Orientation by the Moon.

It may happen that due to cloudiness the North Star is not visible, but the Moon is visible. It can be used for orientation in the sides of the horizon.
The shortest shadow of the full Moon corresponds to midnight, its direction points to the north.
When orienting by the Moon and the clock, proceed as follows: Divide by eye the radius of the Moon's disk into 6 equal parts, estimate how many parts are contained in the visible part of the Moon.
If the Moon is waxing (the right part of the disk is visible), then the resulting number of parts is subtracted from the hour of observation.
If the Moon is damaged (the left part of the disk is visible), the indicated number of parts is added to the hour of observation.
The resulting sum or difference will indicate the hour when the Sun will be in the direction where the Moon is. Having determined this hour and mistaking the Moon for the Sun, they find the direction to the south, as is done when orienting by the Sun and a clock. In this case, it is not the hour hand that should be directed to the Moon, but the division on the watch dial that corresponds to the calculated hour. On a full moon, when the entire disk of the Moon is visible, i.e. when the Moon and the sun are in the same direction, the hour hand should be directed towards the Moon, i.e. navigate in the same way as with the Sun.

Determining the sides of the horizon by plants and animals.

The flora and fauna have certain features that can be used to determine the sides of the horizon. However, such orientation is less reliable than the simplest astronomical techniques, so they can be used only in extreme cases, for example, in cloudy weather.
In the taiga, cardinal directions can be determined with approximate accuracy by certain natural signs. So, for example, on the northern side, trees have a coarser bark, covered with lichens and moss at the foot, the bark of birch and pine on the northern side is darker than on the southern side, and tree trunks, stones or rock ledges are more densely covered with moss and lichen.
During thaws, snow remains longer on the northern slopes of the hills.
Mushrooms usually grow on the north side of trees.
On the surface of the trunk of coniferous trees facing south, more resin drops are released than on the north. These signs are especially clearly visible on isolated trees. On southern slopes, grass grows faster.
Studying the habits of animals often provides interesting material for orientation, although this requires an even more careful approach than when orienting by plants.
Here is some information about the behavior of animals.
Ants almost always make their homes south of the nearest trees, stumps and bushes.
The southern side of the anthill is flatter than the northern.
Steppe bees build their homes from very durable material. Their nests are placed on stones or on walls, always facing south, and look like lumps of dirt thrown off by cart wheels.
The Syrian nuthatch makes its nest on a rock wall, always facing east.
Three-toed gulls, or kittiwakes, nest on the rocks in numerous flocks, and their nests are always located on the western and northwestern shores of the islands.

Determining the sides of the horizon by buildings.

Various buildings in some cases can also serve as a good guide. These are mainly buildings of religious worship: churches, mosques, synagogues, etc., which, in accordance with the laws of religion, were built quite strictly oriented along the sides of the horizon.
The altars and chapels of Orthodox churches face east, and the bell towers face west.
The lowered edge of the lower crossbar of the cross on the dome faces south, the raised edge faces north.
The altars of Lutheran churches face only the east, and the bell towers face the west.
The altars of Catholic churches face west.
Temples, pagodas, and Buddhist monasteries face south.
The exits from the yurts also face south.
When orienting you need to know some features:
when the sun is behind a person, the distance is hidden, shining into the eyes - it seems greater than it actually is;
folds of the terrain, visible or partially visible to the observer, conceal the distance; When viewed from top to bottom, objects appear farther away, and when viewed from bottom to top, objects appear closer.

How to determine cardinal directions

If you don't have it on hand GPS navigator or, at worst, compass, it wouldn't hurt to know ways of orientation on the ground, there are several of them:

• star navigation;
• solar orientation;
• orientation based on natural features.

Guiding polar star

The North Star is alwayspoints north. Using it you can accurately determine your location and reach people. How to find her? This star the brightest, standing still at one place. You can find it using the constellation Ursa Major; we put five interstellar segments up from the top star of the constellation and look for our guiding star.

It is known that The Sun is rising in the east and comes in in the West. However, in our latitudes this is not entirely true; in our case the sun is slightly shifted to the south. The sun points south at one o'clock in the afternoon when it is located at the zenith. Also, if you have wristwatch with arrow, you can use the following method. Point the thick arrow to the sun, then divide the angle between 14 o'clock and the sun by two and the result will be point south.

Correct orientation - in observing nature

It is necessary to pay attention to natural signs. From childhood everyone knows that moss on rocks and trees growing from the north side, northern slope of the anthill cooler, resin is released on the south side of the trees.

It is also useful to know that grass in the meadow growing thicker from the north side, mushrooms growing on trees, always located on the north side, tree rings are much thicker on the south side than on the north.

The ability to navigate among unfamiliar places is an important quality of a modern, competent tourist. This means, first of all, not to get lost in an unfamiliar place, to establish your location in time by the sides of the horizon and geographical objects, and to find out the direction of further movement.

It’s good when an experienced instructor takes a compass on a hike; this is not always the case in unprepared groups. If tourists find themselves in an unfamiliar area without a compass, there is no need to despair. There are many ways to navigate the terrain without this device and it’s worth getting to know them.

Tree navigation

If tourists find themselves without a compass in an unfamiliar forest area, they need to look carefully at the trees. In the south, the tree crown is more luxuriant and there are significantly more leaves. The densest branches in the dense forest develop here; the sun heats them better. Trees reach out for warmth with every leaf. In the north there are much fewer leaves and branches.

The method is not absolutely correct; allowances must be made for prevailing winds, the presence of moisture, and soil types. It is more reliable to navigate along lonely growing trees than in a dense forest.

You can navigate by the bark in a birch forest; from the south it is always lighter, more elastic and thinner. Roughness and cracks, dark growths form on the trunks of birch trees from the north. Birch is a very flexible, thin-trunked tree in young forests; the tilt of the trunk will indicate the direction of the prevailing winds.

You can navigate by the cut down stump; you just need to carefully examine the annual rings on it. Where the gaps between the annual rings are larger - south, and where the rings are located close to each other - north. It’s good if you come across a clearing with cut trees along the way. Even a few stumps will help confirm your orientation assumptions.

In the forests along which tourist routes pass, there are special signs called tourist markings. They are painted on the trunks along a planned route, always from the nearest populated area.

Orientation by mosses and lichens

moss on the tree

This is perhaps one of the most popular ways to navigate the area. The trunks of large trees in the forest, aspens, poplars, fir, and cedars from the north are covered with various lichens and mosses due to excess moisture. Even if the entire tree is overgrown with moss, from the north its thickets are denser and wetter. This is noticeable if you examine the trunk at the bottom. On boulders, screes and kurumniks from the north of the stones you can also observe thickets of moss and lichen. These are plants that cannot tolerate direct sunlight, bright light and intense heating. The soil north of the rocks feels wetter to the touch.

Orientation by anthill

Stump with anthill

Anthills are built by insects in the south of mountain slopes, trees, large stones and stumps for good heating by the sun. Ants are very heat-loving insects and carefully maintain the microclimate in the home. From the south, where the sun warms better, the anthill has a long, gentle slope. The steep slope of the anthill always faces north. The paths of heat-loving ants run from the southern side of the anthill.

Orientation by temples and glade pillars

Orthodox churches and Catholic churches are built oriented towards the cardinal points. Just look at the crosses located on the Orthodox church, the lower part of the lower crossbar points to the south, the upper to the north.

The entrance to the temple and the bell tower are located on the west side, the altar in the church is located on the east. In Catholic churches, on the contrary, the altar is located in the west. For Muslim mosques, it is more difficult to determine the sides of the horizon; they are oriented towards Mecca. Likewise, Jewish synagogues are oriented toward Jerusalem. Although the doors of synagogues and mosques are in the north.

If you manage to find a clearing in the forest, if necessary, you should look for a post with bright numbers on it. They will point tourists to the square number of the topographic map of the area. The smallest numbers of the cutting column will point to the north.

Orientation by the sun and stars

To navigate by the Sun on a bright sunny day, you should wait until midday. At this time, the luminary is at its zenith, any shadow cast by objects becomes short. You should stand with your back to the luminary; the tourist’s shadow will indicate the direction to the north. The south will be behind the traveler. On his right hand there will be an eastern direction, on his left hand - a western direction.

In the off-season, on spring and autumn days, the sun will rise strictly in the east and set in the west. At noon in any season, the star is in the south and every shadow points to the north. On winter days, the sun will rise from the southeast and set from the southwest. On summer days, the sun will rise from the northeast and set from the northwest.

Any traveler has an idea of ​​the constellations of his northern sky. Today, almost every schoolchild can find the stars Ursa Major and Ursa Minor in the sky. But although tourists may theoretically know that the North Star is the end star on the tail of Ursa Minor, finding it can be quite difficult. The advice to help with this is to find the two terminal stars in Ursa Major and mentally continue the line connecting them to the bright Polar Star. Standing facing it, the tourist will look north.

Table: determining parts of the world by the sun

other methods

Forest inhabitants will help tourists navigate the terrain without a compass or map. The squirrel inhabits only hollows protected from the prevailing winds. Insect paths on tree trunks are often on the south side. Migratory birds fly north in the spring and south in the fall. In spring, the snow begins to melt on the southern slopes of hollows and ravines, and the grass here is subsequently thicker and taller. In summer, on hot days, there is lush grass on the northern side of buildings, stones, and forest edges. The soil is drier and berries ripen earlier on southern slopes.

Using a nail, a sewing needle, or a piece of wire, you can make a homemade tourist compass. At the same time, you need to understand that it will point to the magnetic pole and there will be a small error. This piece of steel must be magnetized by rubbing it on wool. In one case, it can be tied on a long thread by the center of gravity, it will rotate and stop in the north-south position. In another case, a magnetized needle is placed on a dry leaf in a small pond, the needle will indicate the north-south direction.

Given all the knowledge about orienteering without a compass, you should remember that you should not use one or two methods. Use your knowledge repeatedly, test it and if several observations are correct, the group will find the right direction.