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Use the Moon and a Watch to Find North

The moon will tell you where the sun is, and from the sun’s position, you can figure out north.

Face the full moon, and the sun is right behind you. When the moon is new and you see it as only a thin sickle, the sun is in front of you, under the horizon.

Once you know where the sun is, use your watch to find north. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere (north of the equator), point the hour hand of the watch in the direction of the sun. Midway between the hour hand and 12 o’clock will be south.

13 Comments on Use the Moon and a Watch to Find North

  1. Anonymous // July 4, 2019 at 9:16 am // Reply

    Another way to find north is to find a tree with moss. The side of the tree the moss is on faces roughly north.

  2. I think boys’ life is awesome, it has showed me what to do in an emergency.

  3. I agree, use the north star,
    or just use the compass in your iphone
    like everyone else…

  4. Or just use the north star?

  5. Capnobvious // April 30, 2015 at 8:09 am // Reply

    I have a digital watch. I’ll stick with traveling by day.

  6. This is what scouts everywhere need to learn

  7. I suppose the watch must be accurate and running. Does daylight savings time affect the result?

  8. crazypantz // April 15, 2015 at 2:54 pm // Reply

    You should be sleeping at night so you dont wonder around and hurt yourself. Get up at the 1st light then find your way back.

  9. Ah, okay so you can find the sun if it’s a full moon or small crescent moon. What about a moon in between?

  10. So cool! We need to be teaching this as part of Scoutcraft.

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