Long before the advent of the GPS or even the hand-held compass, man has been looking to the heavens to guide him safely home.  When ancient man gazed at the stars he began to notice that certain constellations and heavenly bodies formed very distinct shapes.  They also noticed that while some of these constellations moved across the night sky they did not disappear at any time throughout the year.  It was this discovery that freed man to travel further distances from his home, knowing that the stars would guide him safely back.  These very same heavenly bodies still guide us today.

If you get lost, look up, it may save you

If your intention is to take a simple daytime hike or actually travel some distance and set up camp in the great outdoors, it is important that you know how to look at the night sky to find your way home.  Remember, while a GPS or even a compass might be part of your equipment, batteries fail and equipment can get broken or lost.  In a worse case scenario, you might find yourself stranded in an unfamiliar place. But do not despair, if you follow some very straightforward steps you can look at the night sky and find your way back.

The first thing to know is that you do not have to be an astronomer or even have a basic grasp of trigonometry.  With just a relatively basic knowledge on the location of three constellations you can locate the North Star, also known as Polaris.  Once you can find Polaris you will always know which direction is north and thus be able to pinpoint your general direction.  Don’t be daunted, this is not only easy, it is also fun.  It might even wet your appetite enough to want to study astronomy in more detail or even take a leap into more advanced methods of celestial navigation.

Fortunately, it’s not all about maths…

The first thing to learn is to recognize the Little Dipper, Big Dipper, and Cassiopeia.  The importance of the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor) is that the North Star is located in this constellation.  The Little Dipper chases the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) across the night sky every night all year around.  So finding the Big Dipper will help you locate the Little Dipper and Polaris.  In addition, the Cassiopeia constellation travels the heavens opposite the Big Dipper, thus giving you more than one-way to find the North Star.

The constellations Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia are known as circumpolar constellations.  Circumpolar constellations are those that appear above the viewer’s horizon and seem to go around a set point (celestial pole) every night.

When you are able to locate one of these three constellations you will easily find Polaris and thus, due north.  Once you know which way points north you can use that information to find your way.  While the Little Dipper is difficult to locate in the night sky, both Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper have easily recognizable shapes and once you have found them it’s an easy matter to find the North Star.

It’s not just the North Star - it’s a really old GPS

One great thing about circumpolar constellations is that they consistently circle a celestial pole and this allows the stargazer to locate them, especially if they have an easily recognizable constellation associated with them.  Take for example the constellation of Orion (the Archer).  Most of use can easily recognize Orion by the distinct straight line of three stars that make up its belt.

The reason Orion is so easily located is because of the unique quality of the belt.  This is the only place in the night sky where three stars of almost equal magnitude can be found in a straight line.  As such, when we look up at the night sky our eyes quickly search out the three stars of Orion’s belt.

If you see this, it’s not a star - but it’s a place to stay

The constellation Cassiopeia is much like Orion.  Like Orion, Cassiopeia is the easiest constellation to identify between the Little Dipper, Big Dipper and Cassiopeia.  This constellation has a uniquely “W” shape that distinguishes it from all other constellations.  Depending on your location and the time of year the “W” might appear as an “M”.

Once you locate Cassiopeia be sure it’s positioned as a “W” not an “M” so you can find the Big Dipper.  The Big Dipper (Ursa Major) is located directly opposite to Cassiopeia as it follows Ursa Major across the night sky.  While Polaris is between Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper, it is best to verify the location of Polaris as, despite common belief, it is not the brightest star in the night sky.

Can you see the W?

Ursa Major (Big Bear in Latin) is known by two other names: Big Dipper (in America) and Plough (in Britain).  It is also number three in size out of the eighty-eight known constellations.  Like Cassiopeia and the Little Dipper it is a circumpolar constellation and it is visible in the northern sky all year long.

The Big Dipper is made up of seven stars in the shape of a ladle, or frying pan.  The pan portion of the Big Dipper is made up of four stars in the shape of a parallelogram.  The bottom and top of the pan are parallel to each other with the sides leaning outward from the bottom towards the top, forming the cup part of the ladle.  The handle is made up of the three remaining stars.

No - not that Big Dipper!

When looking at the Big Dipper note that the cup is facing upward (holding water) or upside-down (pouring the water out).  Now picture the ladle pouring the water out.  Now draw a straight line through the two stars that make up the pouring side of the cup, approximately five times the distance between these two stars.  As you follow this line you will end up on the North Star.  If you continue along this straight line you will intersect Cassiopeia, which is located at the same distance from Polaris as the Big Dipper

Remember that the North Star (Polaris) is not the brightest star in the night sky.  Polaris is the last star on the handle of the Little Dipper.  Like the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor—Little Bear in Latin) is also shaped like a ladle.  The problem with the Little Dipper is that it is made up of relatively faint stars making it difficult to locate it directly.  The brightest star of the Little Dipper is the North Star which is as bright as the stars that make up the Big Dipper.

The brightest star in the Cosmos?

Once you have located and you turn to face Polaris you will be pointing directly north.  This is actually more accurate than north on a magnetic compass.  Another great thing about locating Polaris is that it can be used to tell the time.  Since Polaris is a celestial pole, you can track the movement of the Big Dipper as it travels around Polaris.  Since it takes the Big Dipper 24 hours to complete its rotation around the North Star you can use its location to tell you the time.  Telling you where north is and the current time, is not all Polaris can do.  If you can measure the angle between the horizon and Polaris you can also find your latitude.

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