01 June 2009 by Tristan Gooley

using-polaris-and-sun-to-find-north

Tristan


I managed to rope in a friend at the end of an evening’s BBQ and together we plumb-bobbed Polaris, set out two posts and then strung a string between them. We checked with a compass and, despite the evening’s beers, we were actually almost spot on!

The next day we checked the shadow at 1.00 (12 noon GMT) and found this lined up on our string. Impressed or what!

Richard

——————

Hi Richard,

I can see I’m going to need to come up with some sort of merit/badge/star system just to complete the back to school experience!

A link that I will have mentioned on the day is here:

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.php

If you plug in your latitude and longitude, it will give you the altitude and azimuth of the sun (or moon) for a whole day by GMT. Due south is often very close to clock midday, but it can wander off it depending on your longitude and because of something called…

Read More...

Tags: , , , , , , , |

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks

Welcome to the home of natural navigation on the Internet.

The Natural Navigator is the school set up by Tristan Gooley to research and teach natural navigation. It is also the title of his book on the subject.

Natural navigation is the art of being able to find your way solely by using nature. It encompasses using the sun, moon, stars, weather, water, land, sea, plants and animals.

 

If you would like to know more about natural navigation you can browse the website, read about Tristan’s natural navigation book, or listen to a BBC Radio 4 interview with Tristan.

 

  • RSS BBC Sciences & Nature

    • Giant hailstone breaks US record July 31, 2010
      A hailstone weighing almost a kilo that fell in the state of South Dakota has been confirmed as the largest ever recovered in the USA. […]
    • Everglades on Unesco danger list July 31, 2010
      A UN panel adds the Florida Everglades and Madagascar's tropical rainforest to a list of world heritage sites at risk. […]
    • BP boss scaling back oil effort July 30, 2010
      The incoming BP chief executive has said it is time to scale back some parts of the oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico. […]
    • Further Chile quakes 'possible' July 30, 2010
      Land in the north of Chile is "ready" for another major earthquake, say researchers, adding that authorities did not act on previous warnings. […]
    • 'Sniff code' device controls wheelchair July 30, 2010
      Scientists develop a device that allows people with severe disabilities to control a wheelchair and communicate by sniffing. […]
    • Hi-tech Indian water plant opens July 30, 2010
      A desalination plant which begins operating in Madras on Saturday will provide some of the cheapest drinking water in India, backers say. […]
    • Mammals decline in Chernobyl zone July 30, 2010
      The largest wildlife census of its kind conducted in Chernobyl reveals evidence of mammals declining in the exclusion zone. […]
    • Grim task of China oil clean-up July 30, 2010
      China is struggling with an arduous clean up after the country's worst oil spill, with grim conditions for those involved. […]
    • Rare zedonk born at US wildlife park July 30, 2010
      A wildlife reserve in the US has a new star attraction after a donkey there gave birth to a foal with stripy legs. […]
    • Greek dolphin park welfare row July 30, 2010
      Animal welfare groups in Greece are calling for the closure of the country's first dolphinarium and urging schools not to visit the attraction. […]

Archives by Month:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner