Knowing where you are based on looking upward is a fantastic survival skill to have, and one that could easily keep you alive should you find yourself lost in the wilderness. Since the sun follows a consistent path, it makes a great navigation tool! Check out a few tips for learning sun navigation and never get lost during the day again:
Rising and Setting
The sun rises in the eastern sky in the northern hemisphere, and reaches its highest point during the middle of the day. It sets in the west, and in the summer drifts a bit north. In the winter, it meanders south a little. So if navigating during summer months, you’ll find the sun rising in the north-east and setting in the north-west. You can guess what happens in the wintertime.
Getting Directions
Sunrise and sunset are the easiest times of day to tell which direction you’re headed, because that big yellow ball is closest to the horizon. If trying to get your bearings around midday, find a stick and place it on a completely flat section of ground. Position the stick so it points towards the sun and has no shadow. Wait a few minutes, and a shadow will appear pointing east to west, or there about.
The other method is to use a stick and two stones. Place the stick in the ground so it’s vertical, and use the first stone to mark the resulting shadow. Sit tight for about 15 minutes and mark the new shadow with the second stone. Finally, draw a line in the dirt from one stone to the other, which will provide you with east to west direction.
It’s also entirely possible to navigate using the moon and stars, but that’s for another post!
Have you ever used the sun to determine your location? Share your stories in the comments section!