The phrase “spring up and fall down” can help you figure out where to look in the sky for the Big Dipper based on the seasons. In the spring and summer, it’s located high in the sky. On fall and winter nights, you’ll find it lower in the sky, closer to the horizon.
If you’re having trouble finding the North Star, stretch your arm out completely and spread your fingers. The distance between the top pointer star and the North Star should be about the same distance as your thumb is from your middle finger.
Using the North Star to find your direction works best on a clear night. If the sky is hazy or there are clouds, you may not be able to easily identify the Big Dipper. If you’re in an area where mountains, trees, or other objects are blocking the night sky, you may not be able to use the North Star to find your direction either.
If you can’t find a stick that is long enough, tent poles also work well.
You’ll know that you have the sticks set up properly if you draw an imaginary line between your eye, the tops of the sticks, and the star.
If the star moves up, you are facing east. If it moves down, you are facing west. If it moves right, you are facing south. If it moves left, you are facing north. In some cases, the star may appear to move in two directions. For example, it might move up and to the right, which means that you’re facing southeast.
All of North America and Europe are in the Northern Hemisphere. The northernmost portion of South America, two-thirds of Africa, and most of Asia are also in the Northern Hemisphere. Australia, Antarctica, the southern third of Africa, approximately 90 percent of South America, and some southern islands off the coast of Asia are in the Southern Hemisphere.
If you’re not sure whether there will be a crescent moon on a given evening, there are a number of online calendars that provide the lunar phases for each month. Just do a search for “moon phases calendar” or “lunar phases calendar. ”
If you are having trouble following the imaginary line down to the horizon, it may help to hold a stick through the tips of the crescent moon as a guide.
You won’t be able to use this method if you have a digital watch because the analog watch’s hour hand is crucial to helping you find your direction.
It’s often easier to hold the watch steady if you use your free hand to support the hand holding the watch from underneath.
In the Northern Hemisphere, look at where “12” is on your watch with the hour hand pointed at the sun. Find the halfway point between it and the hour hand – that direction would be south, while the opposite direction would be north. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, look at where the hour hand is on your watch with the “12” pointed at the sun. Find the halfway point between it and the “12”– that direction would be north, while the opposite would be south. During daylight savings time, which occurs spring through early fall, your direction will be slightly off. To get the correct direction, adjust your watch’s hour hand earlier by one hour to get the most accurate results.
In order to accurately decide which side of the tree is the heaviest, you should walk all the way around it a few times. If you only look at one or two sides, you may not be able to tell where the tree is most dense. It’s easiest to use this method with lone trees in an open field. In a wooded area, trees compete for sunlight, so it’s not as obvious which direction they’re growing in.
It’s important to keep in mind that other factors can create shady conditions that would encourage moss to grow on a certain side of a tree. Trees that are shaded by other trees in a wooded area and trees that grow on slopes may throw off your direction.
The giant barrel cactus typically grows between 3- and 9-feet, and features spines in a variety of colors, including red, tan, and yellow. Older cacti often produce bright orange or yellow flowers.
