Night Navigation

Most of guides on the net and in books are focused on info how to find North using stars.

Of course I’m including proper picture for it, but I think that people are not putting enough attention to this info.

When are people checking North ?
Usually when they are lost.
Whole idea of navigation is not to be lost.
If one is lost – info where north is is not enough to help.

Night navigation is not only about stars, every city is creating lights over the horizon,
trains or cars are making noise and we can use it as direction during the night.

If there is an airport around we can see direction of approaching planes.

Coming back to stars.

We are lost, we can see stars, we can find north … and we are still lost with this knowledge.

This is not the think we want.

Quite important is to make a habit for checking geographical directions on the go, BEFORE we are lost.

We need to know the map of our neighbourhood.

If we are prepared and we have paper version of the map (no way for batteries to be gone) its good to roughly know our position.
If one has a map and information where is north is not enough to use it.

Now usual info how to find north and northern star (or south).

Northern star (Polaris) marked on picture below, can be found at the end od Ursa Minor.

Take care and check it near your house is stars are visible.

On southern hemisphere above is not visible at all, you can see Southern Cross.

blaaaa….you can see….. I was many times on southern hemisphere and trying to see it.

Only using local knowledge of some Australian guy I was able to find it.

Key information is – Southern Cross looks exactly like on Australian flag.

Look south to find it…