How to Make a Solar Compass
More Articles Related to CompassThere are many excellent ways to navigate even when you do not have a manufactured compass. For example, a few days ago Survival Topics had a post about how to make a floating needle compass using only a needle, silk, and a pan of water.
Today I will show you another method of finding direction using a straight sliver or stick, the current time and month, the sun, and a little compass rose that you can print out here.
First, print out a copy of the compass rose shown on the left (to view a larger copy of the compass right click on it).
If there is enough sun to case a shadow, place the piece of paper on which you printed the compass rose on the ground. It must be as very near to horizontal as possible.
Now note the current time and push your stick though the corresponding position on the ring of dots labeled 4 through 20. For example, if the current time is 3:30 in the afternoon that will translate to 15:30 on a 24-hour clock. Place your stick through the ring of dots halfway between the numbers 15 and 16. Be sure that the stick is as vertically straight up and down as possible.
Now spin the compass rose around, keeping the stick in place, until the shadow of the stick crosses the middle line at a point corresponding with the current month.
Your compass rose is now oriented to north - South.
Although in an emergency survival situation you are unlikely to have this compass rose handy, it does illustrate there are many ways to accomplish the same goals.
Do you know of another method of finding north without using a traditional compass? Let me know and I will post it here.
White Mountains Nh
Jeremy, that is a very interesting method. Have you tried this, and how did it compare to using a compass?
Waxhaw, NC
Put a stick into the ground. Place a stone at the tip of the shadow. Repeat 15 minutes later. Connect these two points with a line. Draw a line perpendicular to this line. This line wil form a N-S line. Side to right is N. I checked it with a compass. It was correct.
Survival Topics - Don, you are correct this method of using the sun as a compass works. See the survival article on using the sun as a compass.
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Orlando
By using string making a straight line touching the two points of a crescent moon and the horizon, the string will touch the horizon in the direction of south (in the northern hemisphere),and,conversly, the north if south of the equator.