Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 5: Using the North Star in the dark in the Northern Hemisphere
• Method 2 of 5: Use two poles at night in the Northern Hemisphere
• Method 3 of 5: Use the sickle moon at night
• Method 4 of 5: Use an analog wristwatch during the day
• Method 5 of 5: Observing nature during the day
• Tips
• Warnings

Hiking and going out with a tent can be a fun, exciting way to enjoy the outdoors. But if you do that in an environment that you don't know well, you can easily get lost. You should of course always bring a compass with you, but it can happen that you have forgotten your compass. Fortunately, there are several ways to find the right direction without a compass - so just to be on the safe side, read the following orientation methods before heading out on an adventure again.

To step

Method 1 of 5: Using the North Star in the dark in the Northern Hemisphere

1. Find the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is made up of seven bright stars and can be found high or low in the northern sky, depending on the season. The Big Dipper also revolves around the North Star, which is why this method is useful if you want to orientate yourself in the Northern Hemisphere. If you are north of 23.5 degrees latitude, the Big Dipper is always above the horizon. Four of the stars of the Big Dipper, also called a saucepan, form the pan, the remaining three form the stem.
   • In English you have the phrase "spring up and fall down", this mnemonic can help you search for the Big Dipper based on the seasons. In the spring or summer ("spring") you will find the Big Dipper high in the sky ("up"). In the autumn and winter ("fall") you will find the Big Dipper lower in the sky ("down"), so closer to the horizon.
2. Use the Big Dipper to find the North Star. No matter what season it is, the two stars that make up the outer rim of the pan always point to the North Star. If you draw an imaginary line from these two stars to the next brightest star (about six times the distance between the two stars of the Ursa Major) you will find the North Star.
   • If you have trouble finding the North Star, extend your arm all the way and spread your fingers. The distance between the top of the two stars of the Big Dipper and the North Star is roughly equal to the distance between your thumb and your middle finger.
3. Find the north. The Big Dipper is always in a different place, but the North Star is always in the same place in the sky, never more than 1 degree from north. So once you find the North Star, you know what north is. With that knowledge, you can say that the opposite direction is south, east is on the right, and west is on the left.
   • Finding the North Star is of course best on a clear night. If it is cloudy or foggy it will be more difficult to find the Big Dipper.
   • In an area with mountains, trees, or other objects blocking your view, you may not be able to use the North Star at all to find direction.

Method 2 of 5: Use two poles at night in the Northern Hemisphere

1. Stick a stick into the ground. Try to find a stick about two feet tall and insert the stick just far enough into the ground to make it stand firm. It is also important to take a stick that is as straight as possible. Stick the stick firmly into the ground and sit or squat next to the stick. The end of the stick should be at eye level.
   • If you can't find a pole that is long enough, you can also use a tent pole.
2. Place a longer stick behind the first stick. The second stick should be about 90-120 cm, the end should be higher than the first stick. Run your eye along the ends of the two sticks and look along the same line at a bright star in the sky. You can move the sticks slightly to get a good view of the star along the ends of the sticks.
   • Your sticks are good if you can draw an imaginary line from your eye to the ends of the sticks and the star.
3. Wait a few minutes. You have to give the star time to "move". Keep in mind that the star is not actually moving; the Earth rotates, making it appear as if the star has moved. It's important to be patient - it can take anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour to see the movement. The way the star "moves" can help you orient yourself in the Northern Hemisphere.
   • When the star moves up, look east
   • When the star moves down, look west
   • If the star moves to the right, you are looking south
   • If the star moves to the left, you are looking north
   • In some cases, the star appears to be moving in two directions. If the star moves up and to the right, it means you are facing southeast.

Method 3 of 5: Use the sickle moon at night

1. First, determine whether you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. Depending on which hemisphere you are in, you can use the crescent moon to determine where the south or north is. The Northern Hemisphere is the part of the Earth north of the Equator, the Southern Hemisphere is the part below the Equator.
   • All of North America and Europe are in the Northern Hemisphere. The upper part of South America, two-thirds of Africa, and most of Asia are also in the Northern Hemisphere.
   • Australia, Antarctica, the southernmost part of Africa, about 90 percent of South America and some southern islands of Asia are in the southern hemisphere.
2. Find the moon. This method of orientation only works when the moon is crescent shaped, that is in the phases "Young Crescent" and "Ashy Moon". Together, these phases last about seven days per calendar month, usually at the beginning and end of the month.
   • If you are not sure if there is a crescent moon on a particular night, look online for calendars that show the lunar phases by month. Search for "moon phase calendar".
3. Draw an imaginary line from the moon's "horns" to the horizon. Look at the moon and draw an imaginary line from the two ends of the crescent moon all the way down to the horizon. In the northern hemisphere you will then approximately end up on the south. In the southern hemisphere you will then approximately end up with the north.
   • If you find it difficult to draw the imaginary line straight to the horizon, you can hold a straight stick along the two ends of the moon as an aid.

Method 4 of 5: Use an analog wristwatch during the day

1. Make sure the watch is running properly. For this method to work properly, you need an analog watch with hands set to the correct time. Verify that your watch is running properly and that the hands are moving correctly.
   • You cannot use this method with a digital watch, because you will soon be able to determine the correct direction on the basis of the hour hand.
2. Keep the watch parallel to the ground. It works best when the watch is on a flat surface. Take it off your wrist and lay it flat on your palm. You hold the watch in front of you, just like you would with a compass.
   • It is usually easier to keep the watch straight if you support the hand your watch rests in with your free hand.
3. The position of the watch depends on the hemisphere. The procedure for determining the direction differs based on your position in the world. In the Northern Hemisphere, position the watch with the hour hand facing the sun. In the southern hemisphere, hold the watch with the "12" facing the sun.
   • In the Northern Hemisphere, look in which direction the "12" is pointing, while the hour hand is pointing towards the sun. The south is the point halfway between the "12" and the hour hand, the opposite direction is north.
   • In the Southern Hemisphere, look at the hour hand of your watch with the "12" pointing towards the sun. The halfway point is north, and the opposite direction is south.
   • During the summer time, from spring to fall, there will be a deviation in determining the direction. To determine the correct direction, set the hour hand one hour earlier.

Method 5 of 5: Observing nature during the day

1. Look for the full sides of trees. Trees are almost never symmetrical, a tree always grows faster on one side. Plants need sunlight to grow, so the side that gets the most sunlight will always look fuller. In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is most in the south, so the side of the tree with the densest vegetation will usually be the south. In the southern hemisphere it is the other way around, the fullest part of the tree will be the north.
   • To be able to determine exactly which side is fuller, you can walk around the tree a few times. If you only look at one or both sides, it is more difficult to determine which side is fuller.
   • This method works best in an open field with loose trees. In a forest, trees compete for sunlight, making it more difficult to tell which way they are growing.
2. Look for moss on trees. In many cases, moss grows on the shade side of trees. In the Northern Hemisphere, this means that you will usually find moss on the side of the tree that faces north. In the Southern Hemisphere, moss usually grows on the side of the tree that faces south.
   • Just keep in mind that there are other factors that can cause shade, giving moss a chance to grow. Trees shaded by other trees and trees growing on slopes can confuse you.
3. Search the desert for the "giant barrel cactus". This cactus, with the Latin name Echinocactus Platyacanthus, grows in the southwestern part of the United States and Northern Mexico, and grows obliquely to the south. This is because the north side of the plant receives little sun and therefore grows less rapidly. When you come across such a cactus you know that the growing direction is south and the opposite side is north.
   • This cactus grows to a height of 1-3 meters and has needles in all kinds of colors, including red, brown and yellow. Older cacti can develop bright orange or yellow flowers.

Tips

• Practice makes perfect, whichever method you use when orienting without a compass. Practice the chosen method several times with the compass, so that you know the results are correct.
• If you are in a place where main and side paths form a diamond pattern, you will probably encounter a road again, and it is easier to get your bearings there.

Warnings

• If you plan to go hiking or camping in an area you don't know, invest in a good compass or GPS device. You quickly get lost in unfamiliar territory, and your life can be in danger if you can no longer find your way to the right path.