Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: paul.fr on 18/02/2008 16:35:10

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: paul.fr on 18/02/2008 16:35:10

I know where east and west is by watching where the sun rises and sets, but how do i find north and south?

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: syhprum on 18/02/2008 18:05:16

I asked my son in Brisbane he said thats easy just look where the sun is at midday, thats North.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 18:32:36

LOL that would be true for him, as he is in the southern hemisphere in Austrailia eh??? LOL..

I am horrible with directions but me mom did tell me... to face the sun in the morning that is east..when it comes up.. directly behind me is west.. and without turning away from the very early morning sun,to my left I will find North to my right the south... LOL.. Problem is noon sun would be on my right when facing east... but.. if you spin me around or get me flustered.. I am lost all over again... unless I know where I am....LOL....

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 18/02/2008 18:58:28

The sun only rises accurately due east and sets accurately due west at the Equinoxes on March 20th and September 22nd  this year other times it is a bit to the north or south of east and west.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 18/02/2008 19:11:33

Look at trees. In the northern hemisphere moss grows on the southern side and in the southern hemisphere it grows on the northern side.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 19:14:41

 

Quote from: Soul Surfer on 18/02/2008 18:58:28

The sun only rises accurately due east and sets accurately due west at the Equinoxes on March 20th and September 22nd  this year other times it is a bit to the north or south of east and west.

  That is interesting why is it different this year?

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 19:15:40

Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 18/02/2008 19:11:33

Look at trees. In the northern hemisphere moss grows on the southern side and in the southern hemisphere it grows on the northern side.

Thats a practicle way to keep it straight...

What guide would one use in a barren Desert?

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 18/02/2008 19:16:28

See which way the camels' ears are facing.

If you know which way the prevailing wind blows, it's easy. The slope on the windward side of a sand dune is more gradual than on the leeward side. So, if the prevailing wind is from the west, face the side with the less steep slope & north is to your left - or it could be the other way around  [:P]

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 19:25:34

OK LOL! The camels ears.....Hee hee.. assuming I am on a camel! LOL..

Some help you will be out in the desert! We might end up in "Tin Buck Two!!"

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 19:26:43

What about the moon and stars.. could they be of help? what about the north star... for traveling at night?

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 18/02/2008 22:04:49

Quote from: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 19:25:34

OK LOL! The camels ears.....Hee hee.. assuming I am on a camel! LOL..

Some help you will be out in the desert! We might end up in "Tin Buck Two!!"

I know where Timbuctoo is.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 22:11:31

Do you?? I couldn't even spell it let alone find it! LOL ! [;D]

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 18/02/2008 22:19:04

Timbuctoo (Timbuktu, Tombouctou) is a major trading town smack bang in the middle of Mali, West Africa. It was founded by the Tuareg in the 10th century and at 1 time was an intellectual and spiritual Islamic capital.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 18/02/2008 23:00:18

Karen the time of the equinox with respect to our day (assuming UK time) varies a bit with the precise phasing of the earth's orbit and solar day and leap years this year is a leap year so the whole day adjustment tends to push the equinoxes towards their earliest date positions in the year.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 23:06:19

Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 18/02/2008 22:19:04

Timbuctoo (Timbuktu, Tombouctou) is a major trading town smack bang in the middle of Mali, West Africa. It was founded by the Tuareg in the 10th century and at 1 time was an intellectual and spiritual Islamic capital.

Thats very cool.. I knew it existed but did not know where... very good Doc.. sounds like a cool place to visit!

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 23:09:51

Quote from: Soul Surfer on 18/02/2008 23:00:18

Karen the time of the equinox with respect to our day (assuming UK time) varies a bit with the precise phasing of the earth's orbit and solar day and leap years this year is a leap year so the whole day adjustment tends to push the equinoxes towards their earliest date positions in the year.

Oh that makes sense! I did not even think about leap year. I forgot.... actually I don't think I knew this was a leap year... I don't have a calendar and rarely look at the computer one since I had this new system installed..  LOL.

 Thanks for the explanation Ian. I appreciate it!

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Bored chemist on 19/02/2008 20:00:01

According to my Cockney friends, your North and South is between your nose and your chin.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 19/02/2008 22:01:28

Quote from: Bored chemist on 19/02/2008 20:00:01

According to my Cockney friends, your North and South is between your nose and your chin.

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fdoh%2F2.gif&hash=fef6931e562a6dc5fd0fd29a97202c70)

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 19/02/2008 22:03:10

Quote from: Karen W. on 18/02/2008 23:06:19

Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 18/02/2008 22:19:04

Timbuctoo (Timbuktu, Tombouctou) is a major trading town smack bang in the middle of Mali, West Africa. It was founded by the Tuareg in the 10th century and at 1 time was an intellectual and spiritual Islamic capital.

Thats very cool.. I knew it existed but did not know where... very good Doc.. sounds like a cool place to visit!

A cool place to visit? Are you kidding? It's in the middle of a bloomin' great desert - that means HOT

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: turnipsock on 20/02/2008 00:26:19

You really need a sextant to find true south. If you go by the clock, you could be a long way out as midday is midday over a range of 60 miles.

Another way is to go by the stars, that is work out at what time a star is due south at a particular time. I do something like this when setting up my telescope. I use some star software to work out what will be due south in a few minutes. I have the scope set for due south, I then run out and line up the star by moving the tripod. It's near enough for the equitorial mount to work well.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: syhprum on 20/02/2008 19:54:03

Lovers of leap years have missed out on one recently as 2000 being divisible by 500 lost its status, If I had been born on February 29 1920 I would not reach the age of adultery until the end of this month.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 20/02/2008 19:58:11

Quote from: syhprum on 20/02/2008 19:54:03

Lovers of leap years have missed out on one recently as 2000 being divisible by 500 lost its status, If I had been born on February 29 1920 I would not reach the age of adultery until the end of this month.

Being divisible by 500 has nothing to do with it. It is a leap year if it is divisible by 4 unless it is divisible by 100, but if it is divisible by 400 then it is still a leap year.

I am, though, trying to work out your post's significance to this thread  [???]

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Karen W. on 20/02/2008 20:14:20

Quote from: Soul Surfer on 18/02/2008 23:00:18

Karen the time of the equinox with respect to our day (assuming UK time) varies a bit with the precise phasing of the earth's orbit and solar day and leap years this year is a leap year so the whole day adjustment tends to push the equinoxes towards their earliest date positions in the year.

I understand how it changes the date position but what about where north and south are?? How does that change.. I think I am confused... Ian.. Paul??? Please explain..

Does it put the earth in a different position on its axis thus changing the direction a few degrees or what?

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: syhprum on 20/02/2008 20:20:59

I stand corrected I could have had my 21 year birthday party 4 years earlier

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 20/02/2008 20:33:05

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fcomfort%2F3.gif&hash=e41bfe6ce7032085c922e94be4582aa5)

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Ophiolite on 21/02/2008 01:07:08

In urban areas, when further north than the tropics, look at the satellite dishes. These point approximately south in the northern hemisphere, north in the southern hemisphere.

Title: How do I find north and south?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 21/02/2008 19:47:18

If you know exactly where east and west are and can draw a right angle that gives you north and south if you carefully measure the position of sunrise and sunset in any day and bisect the acute angle that will give you north and south pretty accurately.