NORTH, SOUTH, WEST, EAST: MAP, ORIENTATION

Everyone knows the four sides of the world, which allow you to navigate the terrain. On maps and compasses, they are indicated in capital letters, which are written in Russian or in Latin. The sides of the world are divided into additional directions in order to determine the exact location of an object.

East and west are determined by the movement of the planet, and it is easy to know the location by the main star of the galaxy - the Sun. In the morning it appears in the east and sits in the evening in the west. Experienced travelers accurately determine their location at any time of the year, despite the fact that the Sun has a different position due to the tilt of the axis. In the winter, there is a shift to the south, and in the summer - to the north. Therefore, the sun's rays illuminate the sky in the south-west in summer and in the winter in the south-east.

On a note! To quickly determine where a person is, you need to face the north, then the south will be behind. If you separate your hands to the sides, then the left will point to the west, and the right - to the east.

North, South, West, East: Location on the map

There is nothing difficult in working with the card. Be aware that its size and purpose do not matter, it will always help the tourist. The north is always at the top, the south is at the bottom, the west is on the left, the east is on the right. Cartographers mark any route with arrows.

To easily navigate using the map, you need to go to the wide road or to the reservoir and find this place on the map. Then it will be easy to determine your future path and exact location with latitude and longitude.

IMPORTANT! Any large object or highway will be marked on the map and signed. Therefore, it is easy to determine if there are any deviations from a particular route.

The parties of the world on the plans and the globe

The map has recently been brought to perfection. Previously, it had a lot of empty places that have not yet been explored. A globe is a copy of a standard map, embodied in a model of the Earth. Distinguish between areas of the globe need on the principle of the map. The entire upper half is north, the lower half is south, the left is west, the right is east. At the top of the axis is the southern polis, and at the bottom - the north.

If you know the latitude and longitude, then on the map and compass is easy to find the location of an object. It is enough to draw parallels, and the lines will converge at the desired point. All objects and lands located above the equator belong to the north latitude, and below the zero parallel - to the south. Accordingly, the lands on the left will have western longitude, on the right - east.

Determining the location of the cardinal points on the magnetic compass

Determining a location by compass is easy if you know how to use it. Consider the notation of a compass:

N - north.
S - south.
W - west.
E - east.

To determine the location correctly, you need to consider some factors:

Do not shake and turn the compass in different directions. Move the device smoothly and wait until the arrows stop.
With the help of the latest developments, modern compasses can fix the point of arrival along the route that the traveler must follow.
The glow function of the compass helps to navigate in the dark.
If, even with a compass, a person is lost, you need to get a map and find a highway or a large structure on it and follow it.
Check the direction from time to time.

Shops that sell equipment for tourists, can offer a compass of the latest modifications.

Orientation to the heavenly bodies

Every experienced traveler takes with him a map and a compass, but there are unforeseen situations when these helpers are lost and a person must look for another way of orientation. This is easily done by the stars, as well as by such heavenly bodies as the Moon and the Sun.

The North Star is located at the side of the North Pole, and if you stand in the direction of it, the South Pole will be at the back. Polaris are near the Little Bear.

If a person is in the Southern Hemisphere, then the Southern Cross should be taken as the main reference point. This is a constellation of five stars. If you visually stretch a parallel straight line from this constellation to Earth, it will indicate the southern direction. It is easier to navigate the sun, because everyone knows where it rises and where it sits. The main thing is to take into account seasonal variation.

To navigate the moon, you need to know all its phases. The growing moon with its horns will point to the left, and the decreasing one - to the right. The waning moon in the evening is always in the southern part, and by midnight passes to the west. The full moon in the evening is always in the east, and at night in the south. The waning moon points the way to the east at night, and to the south in the morning.

Orientation using the clock

If the traveler has lost both the map and the compass, but there is a mechanical clock, you can navigate through them. This will be done quite easily if the day is sunny. It is necessary to direct the small hand of the clock to the star, the angle between the hand and the 12 o'clock mark should be divided in two, and the center of the mark will point toward the southern hemisphere.

Determination of the cardinal points by natural phenomena

If a person gets lost in the forest, then nature will help him to determine his location:

Anthills are always directed to the south.
The moss grows on the north side.
Heat-loving vegetation grows on the south side.
The north side is rich in conifers.
On the fir in the warm weather on the south side will be released resin.
Mushrooms are crowded to the north side.
Morning dew accumulates on the rocks on the north side.
Sunflowers turn their buds to the east.
If you pay attention to the stumps, then their rings of life will be shifted to the north side.
Birds fly to the south in late autumn, and return to the north in early spring.

IMPORTANT! Natural phenomena can not give 100% result.

How to navigate the terrain without a map and compass

In the absence of a map and a compass, there are many ways to help navigate the terrain. Consider the most popular options that will help travelers:

Trees are good helpers. Know that on the south side of their crown is more magnificent, and the foliage is greener. The bark is always light and dry. Cracks on the trunks of trees are located on the north side.
Easy to navigate through temples and churches. There, each item must be located in a specific place. The front door of such a room is always in the west, and the altar is in the east.
In the forests you can often find pegs with numbers. They stand specifically to help tourists. The paint number means the square of the topographic map.
Paths of insects, hollows of birds and animals are always located on the south side. This helps forest dwellers to protect themselves from wind and cold.
With the help of wire, needle and thread you can make a compass with your own hands by connecting objects together. Just remember that such a compass will show the direction with an error. If the wire is rubbed on wool, the needle will immediately show north.

On a note! If you decide to travel in sparsely populated areas, be sure to take care of the objects of orientation. Mobile phones and other gadgets in the forest do not catch the network, so keep in your bag always a compass and a detailed map of the area. In addition, bring hiking matches with you in order to kindle a fire, bread, a flashlight and drinking water in an emergency.