How to navigate the sun, so as not to get lost in the forest. Definition of the horizon

For every tourist, hunter or mushroom picker the main instrument that helps not to get lost in unfamiliar terrain is the compass. But not everyone has it with him, going to the forest. Therefore, it is important to know other ways how to navigate - the sun, the stars, with the help of various natural landmarks.

What is Orientation?

A variety of situations can occur while traveling or walking for mushrooms. You can get lost both in a dense, dense forest, and in the open steppe. In any case, in order to find the way home, you need to properly navigate in the surrounding space. This means - be able to determine the sides of the horizon, its position in relation to the nearest settlements and choose the direction of movement towards them. The foundations of this knowledge are laid down in the school curriculum.

For orientation in geography, there are four main directions - north, west, south and east. For the years of its existence, mankind has developed a large number of different methods for determining the sides of the world. Even in ancient times, people knew the basic principle of how to navigate the sun - the eastern direction indicates the place of its rise, and the western direction - the place of sunset. All the ancient maps were oriented to the south, which was determined by the position of the sun at the zenith.

Today, having a compass with you, it's very easy to determine the sides of the horizon. In order for this device to be able to fulfill its role, you need some guidance on which the route will be built.

Orientation by the sun

Find out where the north, and where the south, you can without a compass, if you know how to navigate the terrain in the sun. It will help to make this knowledge of the exact place of its rising and setting at a certain time of the year. The opinion is erroneous that the sun rises in the east, and sets in the west.

In fact, in the northern hemisphere this occurs only on March 21 and September 23 (equinox days). In summer the sun appears on the horizon from the north-east in the morning, it comes in the north-west, and in the south it happens exactly at noon. Starting from March 21, the sun rises all the north, and with the approach of winter (after September 23) - all the south.

Orientation by the sun and shadow

The location of the heavenly body in the sky changes throughout the day. Moving from east to west, at noon the sun is above all. At this time, all surrounding objects cast the shorter shadow for the entire light day indicating the direction to the north. The definition of the sides of the light in the short shadow falling at noon from the trees is one of many ways how to navigate the forest in the sun.

If there are no trees nearby, then in order to find out where the north is, you can stick any stick vertically into the ground and see which way the shadow is directed.

At other times of the day, you can also determine the sides of the horizon by this method. Having pushed a stick about 1 meter long into the ground, it is necessary to note with any improvised means the place where its shadow ends. After about 15 minutes, when the shadow moves, again mark its end. From the first label to the second, draw a straight line, which should be continued one more step. Now you need to stand with the back to the back so that the left leg is at the beginning of the segment, and the right one at the end. In the direction you are looking at, and will be north. The error of this method is greatest in the early morning and late evening hours.

How you can navigate the sun and time of day

This method is very simple, it is enough to know at what time the celestial star is at a certain point of the horizon. It is necessary to take into account the time of the year. For example, in the summer the sun is in the east - about 6-7 am, 9-10 hours - in the southeast, about 13 hours - in the south, at 15-16 hours - in the south-west, and at 21 o'clock - in North-west.

Orientation by the clock and the sun

More precisely determine the sides of the horizon will help the most ordinary clock with a dial. The digital indicator in this case will not work. The clock should be placed in such a way that the hour hand looks at the sun. Then mentally draw a line dividing the angle from the arrow to the 1 digit in half. Continuation of this line will point to the south. The north, therefore, will be on the opposite side. In the northern regions, the result will be more accurate, in the South the error can be up to 20%.

There is another way how to navigate by the clock and the sun. The speed of moving the sun in the summer is about 15 degrees per hour. If you take into account that it is in the south at noon, then at 17 o'clock it will shift to the west by 45 degrees (17-14) x15. This will be half the right angle. It remains only to mentally measure this distance to the left - this will be the direction to the south.

Natural landmarks

In the case of an overcast day, you can use other landmarks available in the forest, since it is not possible to navigate the sun.

Suggest where the north, and where the south, can trees. Lichens and moss cover usually the northern side of their trunk. From the sun's rays, the moisture from the southern side of the trees dries quickly enough, so the lichen has no chance of surviving. In addition, the branches on the southern side of the tree are longer and thicker.

It will help determine the sides of the horizon and a common anthill. Usually it is located on the south side of the tree, because otherwise the shadow would fall on it. The ants need sun rays. In addition, the slope of the anthill from the north side is steeper.

Natural landmarks should always be used in a complex, not relying on any one.

If you carefully look at the surrounding objects, and also know how to navigate the sun and the compass, any trip to the forest will necessarily end safely.