Celestial geography | Celestial compass| Celestial ecliptic | Celestial precession | Celestial sphere Celestial Compass Here are a couple of tricks to finding your way using the free compass overhead- the sky!
If you are in the northern latitudes, simply find the big dipper (it should be circumpolar). Join the first two stars and move downwards till you come to a star that is relatively bright. This is Polaris, the North Star.
The 'first two stars' are the two vertical bright stars on the left of this image.
If you are in the southern latitudes, simply find the southern cross (Crux) and the two bright stars (alpha and beta Centauri) to the left. Join the longer axis of the southern cross and continue downwards. Also draw a line perpendicular to the two bright stars and move downwards. The point where the two intersect is South.
The Southern Cross and the 'pointers' are at the bottom of this image.
Celestial geography | Celestial compass| Celestial ecliptic | Celestial precession | Celestial sphere
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This method of finding directions in the day is quite obvious to many as the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West. What about at night? Many people are stumped when asked this question.
Here's one trick on telling the directions using the Moon: The 'horns of the moon' always point away from the sun. Why is this so? This is because of the pattern of moon phases. This is only most useful when it the moon is crescent shaped. When it is gibbous, the crescent side directly opposite the unilluminated crescent portion are the 'horns'.