What methods of orienteering do you know? How to navigate with a compass and the terrain using natural signs 3 ways to navigate

These days definition cardinal directions without modern ones technical devices extremely necessary. Many people, finding themselves in conditions wildlife, eager to find out direction, in which to move to see incredible, pristine places. There are no maps or signs in places where no one has set foot. Therefore, before you set off, you need to find complete information about the upcoming route. You must have a clear idea of where you are going, in which direction of the world your goal is located.

Local orientation is not only necessary when you go to discover new places. Very often it is needed if electronic devices refuse to function, or if you get lost or lose your way. In such a situation, all your tools for orientation are improvised objects and natural phenomena. This is quite enough to determine terrain, find out which side you need to continue your journey. If you know how to navigate day and night, then you will definitely not get lost and will be able to get to your planned location on time, safe and sound.

Method 1: using the sun and a clock

Finding the sides of the horizon using the sun and a clock is quite simple. To do this you need a clock with hands. It is important that they go right. You also need to understand exactly which side of the world you need to move towards.

We direct clockwise in the sun. Arrow and the sun should form one imaginary straight line.
Draw a line in relation to number 1. Without changing the position of the dial, draw a line that will be directed from the center of the clock to number 1.
The bisector between the hour hand and the line pointing to the number 1 will be your guide to the South. In other words, if the clock says 13:05, you point both hands at the sun. And they show you where the South is. If the clock says 12.05, then you need to draw a straight line between the number 12 and one o'clock in the afternoon. The arrow pointing to 12 should be directed towards the sun, and the imaginary straight line will point to the South.
Draw a straight bisector line in relation to the opposite part of the dial. You have received a direction to the North.

Sun orientation is not 100% accurate. There may be minor errors here. However, this will not be a problem for understanding at least an approximate trajectory of movement.

Orientation by clock can only be carried out during the daytime. If you have walked a sufficient distance and it begins to get dark, then you need to stop orienting using the clock and the sun. Wait out the night, then continue along the given route.

Method 2: using sun and shade

If you need orientation , and you left a watch with a round dial at home, then you can determine the further direction of the journey only with the help of the sun. The sun is an excellent reference point, since it follows the same path every day and is almost always visible - even modern gadgets cannot boast of such constancy. The main thing is to be able to read the signs of the luminary, and it will definitely help you find the way.

Take a long object. It is important that an accurate, visible shadow leaves it. As a rule, this is a long stick. Surely, you have seen that in the center of any sundial there is a long rod. You need to find a similar one locally.
Make a mark of the base and the place where the shadow of the object now ends. To do this, insert a stick into the ground. You can drive it deep enough. Then you will have your hands free for an extended period of time.
Wait 1-2 hours. During this time, the shadow of the stick will shift from its original position.
Make a new mark for the end of the shadow.
Combine the two indicators. This can be done on the ground.
You received the mark: East-West.

Your exact location depends on which hemisphere you are in. at the moment you are. If this northern continent where you and I live, then your first notch will point to the West, and the second to the East.

Method 3: according to the sun and time of day

If you don’t have an object at hand that could cast a good shadow, and yours, for example, turned out to have an electronic dial, then good way determine the location - by the sun. The easiest way is to determine the cardinal directions by the rising and setting sun. In the morning time, you can stand facing the rising sun. Before you will be not only a beautiful horizon, but also the eastern side of the world. Accordingly, the West will be behind you. If you go astray at sunset, then the sun that sets below the horizon will point you to the West. Everything is quite simple.

For orientation in the daytime, it is enough to wait until 13.00 and stand with your back to the sun - in this case, your shadow will point to the North, your right hand will point to the East, and your left hand will point to the West. All you need is observation and endurance.

Method 4: by stars.

It is very easy to navigate the cardinal directions at night using the stars. They are visible in clear weather. Especially clearly celestial bodies appear far from the bustle of the city.

Find the big bear. This is a well-known bucket. Since childhood, almost everyone identifies it in the sky, first of all.
Identify two stars located on the edges.
Visually measure the distance between them.
Extend this line five times.
You will see the North Star. It points precisely in the direction of the North.

The complexity of this method is that Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, depending on the month and time of year, are at different angles to us. Consequently, visual determination of distance is not always correct.

But you can practice finding the north star in an urban environment. This will make your task much easier in the wilderness.

Navigating by the stars is not the only way to determine the future path. You can take the moon as a starting point.

Method 5: by the moon.

In addition to the stars, it can help you navigate moon: if it is visible, then no compass you don't need it.

Waxing moon (the sickle resembles the letter p). This position points to the West.
Waning moon (resembles the letter c). Having seen such a moon, we can safely say that it points to the eastern hemisphere.
In the evening the moon appears in the South.
The full moon also points to the South.

Remember safety

When going into the wilderness, learning how to navigate the forest and unfamiliar terrain, be sure to take it with you. They will take up little space in your backpack, but will provide significant assistance on the road. These kits will help you heat water, light a fire, get food, bandage a wound, etc. However, even they won’t be able to help you out if you don’t know and understand exactly how to use them. On our website you will find a lot of useful information that we have prepared for professional tourists and amateurs who have been in natural conditions only a few times.

Your safety is your ability to survive. The natural environment has its own laws. The important thing here is to stay strong and not panic.

When you realize that you need orientation, pull yourself together and, first of all, try to understand in which direction of the world you need to move. This is the basis on which your further actions are built. If you are lost and don’t know where to go, then the information presented earlier will help you in this matter.

When going on a hike, you need to put your things in a clean and dry backpack. If you don’t know how to properly wash a backpack, how to pack things, how to carry it so as not to injure your back and spine, then refer to our blog for information. Here you will find a lot of useful, practical information, which is constantly updated and supplemented.

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 on the bark coniferous trees a secondary crust is developed, 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 meadows 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 it won’t be difficult to navigate the area, which means the path will be easy and pleasant.

Travel with pleasure!

It happens that when you get lost in the forest or lost in the area, you urgently need to determine the cardinal directions. The well-known compass comes to the rescue. But not everyone knows how to use it.

How to navigate with a compass

How to navigate with a compass in the forest? The first thing you need to do is decide on the direction. You need to remember the cardinal directions: north, south, west and east. And you will need such a concept as azimuth. This is the angle between the direction north and the direction towards a specific object, taken clockwise. More often it is displayed in degrees. There are sea rumbas and artillery thousandths. To determine the cardinal directions and azimuth, it is easier to use a compass. How is this done? So, how to correctly navigate with a compass in the forest.

How to navigate with a compass and map

We take a compass and position the map so that the north of the map coincides with the (geographical) north. That is, the top side of the map was facing north. We use a compass to connect the place where we are and the place we want to go to. Having a round small compass, then with the north arrow pointing upward we place it between these two points. Next, you can see the direction (azimuth) shown on the compass. For example, this is 125. This means that in order to get where we want, we need to move along an azimuth of 125.

How to navigate with a compass without a map

It is not always convenient to use direction azimuth, since this method involves direct movement from point A to point B. This is problematic due to the density of the forest and other obstacles. You can use a compass without azimuth. You need to set the compass so that the north arrow coincides with the letter indicating north (C or N). Move in the direction you want and at the same time keep an eye on the north arrow so that it points north. To understand clearly, watch the video on how to navigate using a compass in the forest.

How to navigate without a compass

We have figured out how to navigate the terrain using a compass, now let’s look at what signs to navigate without a compass. If you find yourself in the forest without a compass or navigator, and don’t know how to determine the cardinal directions in order to go somewhere. Before entering the forest, you need to have an idea in which direction you plan to go out, remember where the roads and railways are. Know for sure that there is a settlement to the north of the forest, and so on. Natural signs can be divided into 2 groups: accurate and inaccurate. You need to be able to use natural clues, but you need to remember that you can make a mistake. Accurate signs: stars, sun. Inaccurate: plants and animals.

It's easy to navigate by the sun - it rises in the east and sets in the west. Accordingly, if you need to go north, then go perpendicular to the upward arc of the sun.

The sun is an exact landmark. You can read more about how to navigate by the sun on our website.
Stars. This is easy to do if the sky is fairly clear. Finding the polar star. Finding it is easy, we find the Ursa Major bucket, measure out about 5 similar stars from the tip of the bucket and you can see the polar star, it shines brightly. The North Star will indicate north.

Location orientation

How to navigate in the forest

There are quite a lot of reference points for plants and animals, but they can be deceiving due to various factors. Let's look at them.

Anthill. Anthills are located to the south of a tree or stump, since ants are heat-loving insects. The southern side of the anthill is sloping, the northern side is steep.
Moss. Moss grows on the trees on the north side.
On the north side, the bark of some trees is rougher. Birch has a more elastic bark on the south side.
The slope of any hill on the southern side is drier.
Snow melts faster on the slopes on the south side.
You may also find it useful detailed information You can read about it on our website.

How to navigate a city without a compass

How can you in an unfamiliar city determine the cardinal directions without a compass, map and GPS navigator? By buildings! These are mainly buildings: churches, mosques and other religious buildings. When building them, certain rules must be observed. The bell tower of the Orthodox Church faces west, and its chapel faces east. The front of the Catholic Church faces west. Buddhist monasteries face south. There are features by which you can try to find a landmark. The paint on various buildings fades and crumbles faster on the south side than on the north.

A person goes on a journey for various reasons: hiking, traveling, relaxing, performing various tasks in the natural environment.
In order not to get lost or go astray, he must constantly know where he is, for this he must be able to navigate the terrain. What does this mean? - Be able to determine the sides of the horizon and your location relative to local objects and relief elements, choose the desired direction of movement and maintain it along the way.
They navigate the terrain using a compass, map, celestial bodies and other simple methods. I will tell you how to navigate the cardinal directions by celestial bodies, local objects and other signs.
The globe is conventionally divided by the equator into two hemispheres: northern and southern. The equator runs from west to east. In the northern hemisphere, in which we live, 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 on the right. In the southern hemisphere, north will be behind you, east to your left, west to your right. Local noon is determined using a vertical pole 0.5-1 m long. The pole does not have to be vertical. Tilt does not affect the accuracy of this method (Figure 1)

You can use shade from thin trees and other tall free-standing objects. Shortly before the expected noon, mark the position of the end of the shadow with a peg, pebble or marker and make marks until it begins to lengthen again. The moment when the shadow becomes shortest corresponds to local noon.
There is a slightly different way to determine the sides of the horizon. After inserting the pole, mark the end of the shadow, wait 10-15 minutes (if the pole is 1 meter long) and make the mark again. Draw a straight line through the first and second marks, extending it by 30 cm from the second. Stand so that the toes of your left foot are at the first mark, and the toes of your right foot are at the end of the drawn line. You are facing north. This method is most accurate in the southern regions in summer and winter.
Remember! The sun always rises on the eastern side and sets on the western side. The shadow moves in the opposite direction. Therefore, the first shadow mark will always be in the western direction, and the second - in the eastern direction.

Determining the sides of the horizon using a watch
You can successfully navigate the cardinal directions with the help of a watch. To do this, place the watch horizontally on your palm and turn it until 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). Divide the angle thus obtained with a bisector in half. This line will show the direction south. Moreover, in the northern hemisphere, the south is to the right of the sun until 12 o'clock, and after that it is to the left, in the southern hemisphere it is vice versa. Remember! What the clock should show is true local time(Fig. 2).
Don't despair if you have a digital watch on your wrist. The solution is simple. Draw a circle on the ground, mark the direction of the sun with a peg (any other object) and see what time it is. Let's say 14:30. At the mark you made on the ground, write 14 hours (2). From this figure, every 30° restore the usual
clock face. Find the number 13 (1 h), connect it to the center. Divide the angle between 14 and 13 in half. The bisector will indicate the south-north direction (Fig. 2).
Remember! The sun travels 15° in 1 hour, and the clock hand travels 30°.
This method gives good results in temperate latitudes, especially in winter, less accurate in spring and autumn. In summer the error can reach 25°.
In cloudy weather, to determine the sides of the horizon, place a stick at the center of the clock (fig. a clock on the ground) and hold it so that its shadow falls in the direction opposite to the clockwise direction. In the middle between the hour hand (the line opposite the shadow) and the number 1 (13 o'clock) the direction will be south (Figure 3)

At night you can navigate by the moon and the clock. Divide the disk of the moon into six equal parts with your eye. Determine how many such parts are contained in the visible part of the moon. If the right part of the disk is visible, then the resulting number of parts is subtracted from the hour of observation. If the left part of the disk is visible, then the resulting number of parts is added to the hour of observation. The resulting difference or sum will indicate the time when the sun will be in the direction where the moon is observed. Having determined this time and conventionally mistaking the moon for the sun, they find the direction to the south, as is done when orienting by the sun and a clock. At the same time, point the hour hand at the moon, not the division on the watch dial that corresponds to the calculated hour. On a full moon, when the moon and sun are in the same direction, the hour hand should be pointed at the moon.

Orientation by the stars
Ancient sailors and travelers successfully maintained the direction of movement, guided by the stars
Find seven bright stars in the sky, forming a giant bucket with a handle (Figure 4)

This is the constellation Ursa Major. With its help, it is not difficult to find a burning one above North Pole traveler's star - the North Star. The two stars at the end of the bucket are "pointers". The polar star is in a straight line with them at a distance equal to five segments between the pointers. Ursa Major orbits the North Star. Therefore, its position does not change. The North Star always points north.
You can also navigate by the constellation Cassiopeia. This constellation of five bright stars is shaped like the letter M or double Y. Polaris is located directly in the center, almost in a straight line from the central star of this constellation, about the same distance from it as from the constellation Ursa Major. This position of the constellation Cassiopeia is of great help for orientation in the case when Ursa Major is located low and cannot be seen due to vegetation or high local objects (Fig. 6).
In the Southern Hemisphere, they are usually oriented by the constellation Southern Cross (four bright stars, arranged in the shape of a cross). Line A drawn through the long axis of the Southern Cross will indicate the direction south. To more accurately locate the celestial South Pole, you need to find two nearby stars to the left of the Cross. Through the middle of the line (B-C) connecting them mentally, lower the perpendicular D, and then continue it until it intersects with line A. This intersection point is located above the South Pole (Fig. 7)

The true Southern Cross should not be confused with the false one, which has five stars that are bright and more distant from one another.
It is easy to determine the east-west direction by the constellation Orion. This constellation has seven stars, three of them are located in the middle on one line close to each other. They are commonly called Orion's Belt. Top star
South
Orion's belt is located on the astronomical equator. Therefore, anywhere on the globe you can always observe this star rising in the east and setting in the west (Fig. 5).
Everyone from school is familiar with the Milky Way - a cluster of stars located on an oblong plane. In June, from 23 to 1 am, the Milky Way points to the south with its branching end. In January and early February - to the north.

Orientation using local objects
In addition to the methods for determining the sides of the horizon described above, there are natural indicators of the sides of the horizon in nature.
By plants. The bark of isolated trees, rocks, stones, and the walls of old wooden buildings are usually more densely covered with moss and lichen on the north side. If moss grows throughout the tree trunk, then there is more of it on the north side, especially at the root. The bark on trees on the north side is usually coarser and darker than on the south (birch, pine, larch, aspen). In wet weather, a wet dark stripe forms on trees (pine). On the north side of the trunk it persists longer and rises higher. Birch trees on the southern side of the trunk usually have lighter and more elastic bark. Pine has secondary (brown)
cracked) bark on the north side rises higher up the trunk.
Alpine pine usually leans towards the south. In hot weather, resinous trees (spruce, pine) usually have much more resin on the southern side than on the northern side (Fig. 8)

On the northern slopes of the dunes, as a rule, there are moisture-loving plants (moss, blueberries, lingonberries). In the south - light-loving plants (heather, reindeer moss).
In spring, the grass cover is more developed and dense on the northern edges of the meadows, warmed by the sun. In the hot period of summer - on the contrary - in the southern, shaded ones. In the hot season, on the north side of a tree or stone, the grass stays fresh, moist, sometimes with drops of dew, longer. On the south side the soil is drier and the grass is limp. In spring, on the southern slopes the snow seems to “bristle”, forming protrusions (spikes) directed to the south, separated by depressions.
The forest boundary on the southern slopes rises higher than on the northern ones. The western bank of the river is usually steeper, steep and high, the eastern bank is flat and low. If you know the direction of the prevailing winds, you can draw conclusions about the sides of the horizon from the configuration of local objects: the length of the crowns, the slope of the trees, grass (at night you can see it by bending towards the ground and observing the grass against the sky), the position of the dunes, the local direction of the waves of the dune chains.
According to the observations of polar pilots, the northern side of the sky is the lightest, the southern side is the darkest. In the Arctic regions, the sides of the horizon are determined by snow blows, their narrowest and lowest part on the windward side, gradually rising; from the leeward side - it breaks off abruptly and points, as a rule, to the west. In the mountains, due to the complex terrain, the abundance of steep slopes and deep gorges, as well as in dense forests, methods that take into account the growth of plants and their illumination (the density of grass cover, the presence of mushrooms, the ripening of berries), erroneous orientation along the bark and moss outgrowths are not suitable on the trunks. In mountainous regions, oak and pine often grow on the southern slopes, while spruce, fir, beech, and yew grow on the northern slopes.
Anthills are almost always located on the south side of a tree, stump or bush. The southern side of the anthill is flatter than the northern. On the edges and open meadows, berries and fruits acquire a mature color earlier (turn red, black, yellow) on the south side. In the forest, near stumps, in swamps near hummocks on the south side, lingonberries, blueberries, cloudberries, and cranberries ripen earlier than on the north side. Many plant flowers, even in cloudy weather, have the ability to turn after the sun (sunflower, string), and some turn away from the sun (ivy). Mushrooms are usually born on
on the north side of the tree, and on the south (especially in dry times) there are almost no mushrooms.
The orientation based on the width of annual rings on stumps and the density of branches on trees was recognized as erroneous. The width of the annual rings of a tree depends on the physiological characteristics of plant growth, light, climate, and the density of the crown depends on the direction of the prevailing winds and free space for growth.
For insects and birds. Anthills are almost always located on the south side of a tree, stump or bush. The southern side of the anthill is flatter than the northern. Butterflies, when they rest, usually fold their wings, instinctively choosing a position so that the sun shines directly on them from above. Then the shadow from the wings turns into a narrow line. If a butterfly sits in one place for a long time and the moving sun begins to shine on its side, then it changes position, so the wings with a narrow edge, i.e., the back, are constantly directed towards the sun. East in the morning, south at noon, west in the evening.
Steppe bees build their homes on the south side of stones or walls. The nests look like lumps of dirt thrown off by the wheels of a car. Migratory birds fly north in spring and south in autumn. Swallows usually make nests under the eaves of houses on the north side.
For local facilities. The altars of Lutheran churches always face east. Bell towers - usually to the west; the raised end of the lower crossbar of the cross on the dome of the church points to the north; the altars of Catholic churches face west, and shrines, pagodas, and Buddhist monasteries face the south. The doors of Jewish synagogues and Muslim mosques face approximately north, their opposite sides are directed: mosques towards Mecca in Arabia, synagogues towards Jerusalem. The exit from the yurts is usually made to the south. In rural areas, houses have more windows facing south and the paint on the walls fades more from the south.

Orientation by quarterly forest management pillars
In wooded areas, you can navigate by the block forest management posts. In the forest, clearings are cut in the direction north-south, west-east, so the blocks are numbered from west to east and from north to south.
The side of the quarter pillar on which the smaller quarter numbers are located will be facing north.

Orientation using available tools
A simple steel sewing needle or a pin needle, pre-magnetized with a magnet, can help you determine the sides of the horizon (stick them to a magnet for 4-5 hours), tie them to a thread and, holding the needle in the air by the thread, check with a working compass, mark the north the end of the needle is painted with red paint. You can take this improvised compass with you on the road. If necessary, just rub a magnetized needle or the sting of a broken pin between your fingers and carefully place it on the surface of calm water. The tensile forces of the water will hold the needle, and it will gradually be oriented to the north. If the needle sinks, stick a piece of cork, bark, foam plastic, or straw into it. As the body of an improvised compass
You can use any water container, preferably a plastic one. The simplest compass, as I already said, is a needle tied with a thread in the middle in a freely suspended state. On paper, you can make an approximate compass scale, knowing that north is 0°, 360° (east - 90°, south - 180°, west - 270°.
You can also determine the cardinal directions using a radio receiver, especially if the direction to the transmitting station coincides with one of the cardinal directions or with the direction of movement of the group. If necessary, set the receiver operating in the medium or long wave range to the worst sound position. The end of the receiver will indicate the direction to the transmitting station.
When orienting by local objects, signs, and available means, excluding astronomical ones, one cannot draw conclusions about the location of the cardinal directions based on one or two observations. Draw conclusions only after repeated confirmation of the initially obtained result.
Constantly look for objects that confirm or refute the chosen direction of movement.

Determining local time
In the absence of a clock, local time can be found with relative accuracy using a compass by measuring the azimuth to the sun. The resulting value must be divided by 15°. This number corresponds to one twenty-fourth of a circle, which is the amount of rotation of the Earth in 1 hour. 1 is added to the resulting quotient. If, for example, the azimuth to the Sun was 105°, then 105:15 = 7. By adding one, we get 8 hours local time.
You can use Table 1 to determine local time using the moon and compass.

At night you can use the star clock. The dial for them is the sky with the North Star in the center, and the arrow is an imaginary line drawn to it through the two outer stars of the Ursa Major bucket.
The firmament is mentally divided into twelve parts, each of which corresponds to a conventional hour. At the bottom there will be 6 hours, at the top - 12. Having determined the hour to which the arrow points, the serial number of the current month with tenths is added to it (every three days = 0.1).
The resulting amount must be doubled and then subtracted from constant number 53.3. If the difference exceeds the number 24, then another 24 must be subtracted. The result of these simple calculations is the local time (Fig. 9). For example: on August 15, the star clock hand showed 6. Since the serial number of August is 8, and 15 days are 0.5, then 6 + 8.5 = 14.5, 14.5X2 = 29, 53.3-29 = 24 ,3,
24.3 - 24 = 0.3. Therefore, local time is 0 hours 20 minutes.

Plants and birds can tell the time. In summer (June-July) the night lark awakens around 1 am. At 2 o'clock the nightingale awakens. By three o'clock, the quail, the dawn cuckoo, and the oriole begin to try their voice. The finch and bunting wake up in 3 to 4 hours. Some plants open and close the corollas of flowers at a certain time: when the sky begins to brighten in the east, yellow salsify (similar to dandelion) opens its petals - at 3-5-7 o’clock, rosehip
and chicory - at 4-5 hours, poppy - at 5 hours, dandelion - at 5-6 hours, potatoes, field sow thistle, flax - at 5-7 hours, water lily, field bindweed - at 6-8 hours. Close corollas of their flowers: garden sow thistle - 13-14 hours, potatoes - 14-15 hours, coltsfoot - at 17-18 hours, rose hips - at 19-20 hours.
I wish you successful application of this knowledge in practice.

S. V. Breslavsky,
SA Special Forces Major
Magazine "Martial Arts of the Planet"

At any time, a situation may arise when you do not have the necessary map or compass with you, but you really need to get to a certain place. What to do, how not to get lost and achieve your goal?

So, there is unknown terrain, but there is no plan or diagram, no compass at hand. In this case, you need to be able to determine the sides of the horizon and time. Orientation based on natural characteristics takes place at school. There is a lot you just need to remind yourself, and some points are good to remember.

Solar orientation algorithm

The first thing that is almost always available is the celestial bodies. First, it is worth considering orientation to the Sun. Procedure for the CIS territory:

Turn to face the luminous landmark.
Place the watch so that the arrow points to the Sun.
Draw a line between this arrow and 1 by eye (if winter time) or 2 (summer time).

Thus, if you have a clock, you can determine where south is.

In the northern hemisphere at 12 noon the Sun will be in the south. It is necessary to remember that the sunrise and sunset points will differ depending on the time of year. In summer, these are the northeast and northwest, respectively. In winter - southeast and southwest. In spring and autumn, it is easiest to navigate by the Sun, since the luminary strictly rises in the east, and sets, of course, in the west. In the southern hemisphere, everything needs to be done the other way around.

Features of lunar orientation

At night, you should use the same method to find the sides of the horizon, only focusing on the Moon (during a full moon). Or assume that in the evening it is in the east, at midnight in the south, in the morning in the west. The remaining parties will not be difficult to determine. Orientation to the Moon in other phases occurs differently. In summer, the Earth's satellite in the first quarter (when the right side of the star is visible) will be in the south in the evening and in the west at 2 am. The waning Moon is located in the west at night, and in the south by morning.

Another way: draw a line in your mind between the horns of the month and mentally extend it to the horizon - this will be the southern direction.

Two types of star orientation

The most reliable star by which you can find out the northern direction is North Star. It can be found by well-known constellations: mentally draw a line from the outer two right stars of the Ursa Major bucket to the outermost star of the Ursa Minor's tail - this will be a segment ending with the Polar Star.

In the southern hemisphere, navigation by the stars occurs differently. The constellation is located Southern Cross, consisting of five stars (four in the shape of a cross, the fifth between two of these four). The vertical axis of this cross will point south.

Orientation based on local characteristics

In unfavorable weather conditions, navigation without a map will rely on various natural signs that determine the sides of the horizon:

Trees:

the bark is darker and rougher - north, lighter and thinner - south;
pine trunk is blacker (after precipitation) - north;
coniferous resin in large quantities - south;
denser arrangement of annual rings on stumps – north;
the crown of lonely trees is thicker and more luxuriant - south;
trees, as well as stones and roofs of houses are densely covered with moss, lichens and fungi - north.

Important! Orientation based only on local features may not always be accurate. For example, in a forest, tree branches may be thicker not on the south side, as expected, but on the freer side. Also, lonely trees are not a guarantee of accuracy. There is no certainty that the tree always grew separately, and the nature of the crown may depend not so much on the sunny side as on the prevailing winds, especially in mountainous areas.

Anthills:

always located on the south side of stumps and trees;
gentle slope - south, steep - north.

Fruit:

the ripe side of a berry or fruit (red, yellow) – south.

Soil:

in summer near buildings, trees or under big stones and boulders drier on the south side.

Snow:

melts quickly on the south side, so the formed notches are directed to the south;
in hollows, ravines and gullies it’s the other way around – the northern one melts first;
snow in the mountains first melts from the south;
More snow accumulates on the northern side of trees and buildings.

Shadow:

the shortest (observed at 13.00) points to the north.

Grass and plants:

during prolonged heat, the grass turns yellow and is drier to the south of stumps, pillars and stones, on the north side it can remain green;
in spring, on the southern side of these objects, the grass grows higher and thicker than on the northern side;
a sunflower is never directed to the north; the flower is usually facing the sun.

Advice: The most difficult thing is to navigate according to local characteristics in the steppe. In this case, you will have to look for a dried out plant, or a “steppe compass” - a field weed lettuce(Lactuca serriola). Its leaves grow vertically, with ribbed edges oriented north-south, with the front side of the leaf facing east and the back side facing west.

In large forest areas, you can navigate by clearings. They usually have two directions: north-south or west-east.