As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
For those who are interested in not getting lost, because honestly, the wilderness is not something most of us are going to be lost in, but in civilization, the German National Socialist branch of the German military actually has a very well versed book, which can be obtained in PDF for download, in pointing out the common sense of how to find out which direction is which.
Most people never comprehend that roads or buildings always are aligned to the four points of a compass.
For those who do not want to download SS literature, I provide a mundane excerpt which will assist you when a boy scout is not around.
How To Find North According To The Sun, Knowing The Approximate Time
The sun stands at
6 A.M. in the east
9 A.M. in the southeast
12 noon in the south
3 P.M. in the southwest
6 P.M. in the west
9 P.M. in the northwest
If you already know the direction of north, then this method can instead be used to determine the time without a watch or clock.
How To Find North According To The Sun With The Help Of A Clock
It is possible to use a watch or clock as a compass. You hold the clock so that the short hand of the clock points in the direction of the sun. South is then in the direction, to be precise, of an imaginary line exactly between the short hand of the clock and the number 12 on the clock's face.
In the morning this is calculated forwards (as compared with the hour numbers), while in the afternoon this is done backwards
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Finding North, By Finding South, According To The Sun With The Help Of A Clock
How To Find North At Night
Navigation by night using the stars and the moon is not at all impossible.
The Pole Star always appears in the north. You find it by imagining a line extended from the two rear stars of the Great Bear constellation, about five times longer than the distance between these two stars
Finding North (The Pole Star) At Night
The Evening Star appears shortly after dusk in the west.
The Morning Star appears shortly before dawn in the
east.
How To Find North According To The Position Of The Moon
The full moon always stands opposite the sun.
The (waxing) half moon, first quarter, stands where the sun was six hours earlier.
The (waning) half moon, last quarter, stands where the sun will be after six hours.
It then follows that:
The full moon stands at 6 P.M. in the east.
The (waxing) half moon, first quarter, stands at 6 P.M. in the south.
The (waning) half moon, last quarter, stands at midnight in the east.
How To Find The General Direction Of North By Other Means
The west side of anything is usually the wind side. It is moss covered, and more
weathered than other sides.
The towers of old churches are usually at the west side, while the altar is in the east.
Vineyards are located on the south or southwest slopes of gentle hills.
Triangulation points usually have a cross marked with the 4 cardinal points.
How To Determine The Four Cardinal Points With The Help Of The Map
First Method: If you can see roads, rivers, or railway lines from your position, then rotate the map until the direction of those features on the map correspond with what you see in the real terrain. The top edge of the map now points to the north.
Second Method: First locate a known, if possible a quite distant point that you can identify quite easily and correctly (for instance, a church tower). Then locate this point on the map. Connect this point with your own position on the map with a pencil or a ruler. Rotate the map until this connecting line on the map can be extended into an imagined line connecting with the distant point in the terrain. The upper edge of the map now points to the north.
agtG
