PSR ExpertPrimitive Survival Rating

Navigation & Signalling

Sun & star orientation

Pre-compass cultures used solar arcs and star paths; still useful when electronics fail.

1 min readLow energyMedium reliability

At a glance

Energy investmentLow energyObservation only—until you start marching.
ReliabilityMedium reliability
Time15–30 minutes for a bearing sense

Materials

  • Clear sky
  • Stick shadow method
  • Northern/Southern hemisphere star knowledge

Steps

  1. 1Shadow-stick: mark the shadow tip (west), wait 15+ minutes and mark the new tip (east). Stand with the first mark on your left and you face roughly north.
  2. 2At night in the Northern Hemisphere, follow the two pointer stars of the Big Dipper to Polaris, within about a degree of true north. In the Southern Hemisphere, extend the long axis of the Southern Cross about four and a half lengths to find the south celestial pole.
  3. 3If you later switch to a compass, correct for magnetic declination—the local angle between magnetic and true north, which drifts over time (NOAA publishes a free calculator).
  4. 4Confirm with terrain—never trust a single cue.
Orientation without a compass: a shadow stick with pebbles marking two shadow tips, and above it the Big Dipper pointing at the pole star
The sun gives you a line by day and the pole star holds it by night. Neither one needs a battery.

Common mistakes

  • Overcast sky
  • Magnetic anomalies near metal (if using compass later)
  • Confusing hemisphere star rules

Region fit

Best in: Desert, Mountains, Coast & swamp · Poor in: Temperate forest, Tropical jungle, Snow & ice

  • Temperate forestPoor fit
  • Tropical junglePoor fit
  • DesertGood fit
  • MountainsGood fit
  • Snow & icePoor fit
  • Coast & swampGood fit

Fit keyGood fitPoor fitAvoid

Other methods

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