Navigation for Survival (Part 1) – one minute survival tip
This time: Finding North from the Great Bear.
In the northern hemisphere the North Star (Polaris) indicates the position of True North to within 2°. It is a bright star and can be found by producing a line from the two end stars, or ‘pointers’ of the Great Bear (Big Dipper). The North Star will be found slightly off this line on the side furthest from the remaining stars of the Great Bear and at about five times the distance between the two pointers.
Note: The North Star is located about midway between the central star of Cassiopeia and the Great Bear.
Draw an imaginary line straight down from the North Star to the ground. This direction is true north, and if you can find a landmark in the distance at this point, you can use it to guide yourself.