How to find true north without a compass
Blogged by James Preece on 28th January 2010
I thought you might find the following information useful...
Find an analog watch (the kind with hour and minute hands) that is set accurately. Place it on a level surface, such as the ground, or hold it horizontal in your hand.
Point the hour hand at the sun.
Bisect (that is, find the center point of) the angle between the hour hand and the twelve o'clock mark (the number 12 on the watch). The center of the angle between the hour hand and twelve o'clock mark is the north-south line. If you don't know which way is north and which south, just remember that no matter where you are, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In the northern hemisphere the sun is due south at midday. If your watch is set to daylight savings time bisect the angle between the hour hand and the one o'clock mark instead.
Further methods (like what to do at night time) are available here
Reader Comments
Miss Ellen E said...
Gosh, this takes me back. I can remember learning this when I was a Girl Guide, a long time ago. No problem in finding an analogue watch - I don't think digital watches had been invented then! :-)
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