Find north with a stick and the sun
Thirty minutes on a sunny day with a stick and two stones. The sun moves, the shadow moves, and the line between two marks tells you which way is north.
- Time
- 30 min
- Cost
- $0
- Ages
- 5 and up
- Where
- Sunny ground
What you need
- A straight stick about a yard long
- Three small stones or twigs to mark with
- A timer, or a snack that takes fifteen minutes
- A phone compass or a map, to check your answer at the end
Sun safety: read this first
- Never look at the sun, not even for a second, and not through anything. Watch the shadow, not the sky.
- Hats and sunscreen if you'll be out a while.
- Plant the stick firmly and keep faces away from the top end.
Steps
- Find level, sunny ground. Find a level spot in full sun.
- Plant the stick. Push a straight stick about a yard long upright into the ground.
- Mark the tip of the shadow. Mark the tip of the shadow with a stone; this first mark is west.
- Wait ten to fifteen minutes. Wait 10 to 15 minutes and mark the new position of the shadow tip.
- Draw the line and face north. Draw a line through the two marks; stand with the first mark on your left and the second on your right to face north.
- Check it. Compare your answer with a compass or map.
How close to north · degrees off?
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date