How do you tell which way is north if your ouside?

Question

If you are standing outside and you have no navigational tool (i.e. a compass) how can you tell which way is north. I am doing a project and I need to know which way a creek is flowing.

well if mdb16 could actually READ the question, she would be able to understand that I said you have NO NAVIGATIONAL tool..pff idiot.

NO WONDER YOU ARE FAILING READING

Answer 1

You didn't say if you were doing this in the daytime or night. Here is a link showing all of the methods for day (shadow) or night (stars).

http://www.wikihow.com/Find-True-North-Without-a-Compass

Answer 2

A method that works no matter where on Earth you are (north or south of the equator) is to use the Sun.

Plant a stake in the ground and mark the shadow of the Sun over a period of a day (you want to get the noon shadow so baring a watch, you have to assume you don't know exactly, only approximately, when noon is)

Wherever the shortest shadow of the Sun is marked, it was made at mid day and indicates North. For those of us in the Northern hemisphere, the shortest shadow points North. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the shortest shadow points South.

At night, things are different. At night, in the Northern hemisphere, you find the North star. The Big Dipper (or Big Bear), the stars in the edge of the dipper, farthest from the handle align with the North Star (Polaris). You follow the star in the bottom of the pan farthest from the handle to the star in the edge of the pan farthest from the handle and it will lead you to the north star - the end of the handle of the Little Dipper (Little Bear).

You hold a weighted string up to the North Star. Where gravity takes the string indicates North.

In the Southern Hemisphere, you follow the same procedure, but use different markers.... if you can find any cardinal direction, all the others are opposites or right angles.

There are other methods... Such as moss growing on the Northern side of a tree in the Northern Hemisphere and opposite in the Southern. Watching bird migration patterns accounting for the season. Birds Migrate toward summer - if you see birds flying in September, August, October.... they are going South and the opposite in March, April and May. However, I realize these methods might not be very practical for your class project.

Answer 3

duhh use a compass retard


* no wonder ur failing that class

Answer 4

If creek is located in the area where sun shine for six months then I don't know. Ask from local.....

Answer 5

judge by the shadows the sun casts.

the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

find east/west with the direction of the shadows and find north from that.

Answer 6

face the sun during its rise
raise your hand
your left hand side is north
you know the rest

Answer 7

north is always up wherever your standing