What are local orientation signs? Orientation. Sun orientation

A person going into the forest needs to know how to determine the sides of the horizon. Orientation is a very useful skill because... It's very easy to get lost in Russian forests. At the same time, it is useless to rely on modern means of communication, because in many areas there is no network coverage area.

Don't be afraid

The most reliable methods of orientation are by celestial bodies: the Sun, Moon or Polar Star. However, it is not always possible to use them. Most often, dense low clouds interfere. In this case, it is necessary to be able to navigate using local natural features.

All methods given in specialized training literature are shown in exaggerated form and taken under ideal conditions. In reality, everything is much more complicated. Signs can be contradictory; in a real forest there are numerous and varied factors that influence these signs: relief, weather conditions, winds, etc. Therefore, it can be very difficult for a person, even who knows by heart all the methods of orientation based on local signs, to correctly determine the cardinal directions.

Basic Rules

To avoid losing your way in an emergency, training is necessary. You can learn on your own: first, a person determines where north, south, west and east are, guided by various natural signs, and then checks himself with a compass.

People who live in nature or spend a lot of time outside cities have developed senses. Sometimes they cannot determine how to talk about the reasons for their decision, but it turns out to be correct. The fact is that they often have to rely only on their powers of observation, and this is also training, only subconscious. Therefore, you should trust the judgments of local residents.

Orientation based on local characteristics is not an easy task. First of all, patience is required here. Under no circumstances should you rely on 1-2 randomly seen signs. There must be at least 5 of them.

Another important point is observation. It is necessary not only to be able to find signs, but also to compare them with in order to find out where the coincidence is and where it is not.

Common sense will help you separate the wheat from the chaff and make the right conclusions regarding the location of the sides of the horizon.

Effects of Heat and Sunlight on Trees

Orientation based on local natural features in the forest is carried out in the north-south direction. This is due to the fact that the plant world is very responsive to solar heat. The influence of light on trees is especially noticeable, so taiga hunters most often resort to these signs.

The south side is softer and lighter than the north. But not all tree species show this dependence clearly. First of all, you should pay attention to birch, aspen and larches. For the former, this dependence can be traced even in a dense forest.

It’s easy to navigate by natural features: you should take a closer look at the resin secretions on the trunks. On the south side they are much more abundant.

The trunks of pines turn black after rain, many have noticed this, but not everyone paid attention to the fact that they darken mainly on the north side. This is due to the fact that coniferous trees have a thin secondary crust. Its formation is more intensive on the shadow side: there it is thicker, denser and rises high along the trunk. When it is damp or raining outside, it takes in water, swells and darkens. The north side receives almost no sunlight, and the bark remains dark and damp for a long time.

Effects of Heat on Other Plants

There are various examples of orientation based on local characteristics. For example, in the plant world.

The bulk of mosses and lichens will grow on the north side of stones and trees. This is due to the fact that these are shade- and moisture-loving plants. On the shady side the moss is damper.

You can also pay attention to the grass. On the southern slopes of clearings and the outskirts of clearings, grass grows thicker and appears earlier in the spring.

Dew stays longer on grass growing north of trees. The vegetation here retains its fresh appearance longer.

The berries turn red first on the south side, because... it is exposed to sunlight for longer periods of time. Therefore, during the period of fruit ripening, it will not be difficult to determine where the north is.

Patterns can also be traced in the way mushrooms grow. It turns out they prefer the north side.

However, it is unlikely that these signs will be clearly visible in dense forest or more often. It is almost impossible to carry out orientation based on local characteristics here, because... they are practically invisible due to microclimate conditions. You need to look for signs in rare areas, near clearings. All of the above signs are especially clearly visible on isolated trees. But you can’t trust isolated signs. It is possible to talk about any orientation only if the signs are systematically repeated. It is advisable to double-check all the information received several times.

Signs of orientation in the steppe

The most difficult thing is to determine the direction in the field. However, there are helpers here too. Orientation based on local natural features can be done with the help of some plants.

The field weed lutak can help determine the sides of the horizon. They even call it that - “steppe compass”. The fact is that its leaves are positioned vertically, with the ribs oriented in north-south directions, and the planes facing west and east.

Sunflower is another great helper. The fact is that he is very thermophilic. That's why he always reaches out to the sun, and during the day the flower's cap follows his path. Before dawn and early in the morning the sunflower will look east, after 12 - to the south, and after sunset - to the west. Of course, when the seeds are already ripe, he will not turn his head, but the cap will still be directed to the southeast.

Nature of the area

Anthills are usually located on the south side of a stump or tree. This way they get more sunlight and heat. In a free-standing anthill, you can notice that its southern slope is flatter.

The nature of the vegetation may vary depending on which side it grows on. Taiga specialists have noted many times that the southern slopes are freer and can be easily walked along. Here the trees are widely spaced and there are few bushes. The slopes are covered with grass. On the northern sides it is much more difficult to walk. The forest grows crowded here, there are many bushes, but, on the contrary, there is little grass.

The distribution of some plant species will also help to navigate based on the characteristics of local objects. However, you need to know about such features in advance. For example, in the south of the coastal taiga, oak covers the southern slopes, and velvet trees grow on the northern ones.

Gullies and gullies also have their own characteristics. Usually one side is smoother and flatter, with a lot of grass growing on it. The opposite one is steep, cracked, bare, with screes, and practically without vegetation. The first is the south side, the second is the north.

If the slopes look approximately the same, then the hollow is oriented in a north-south direction, and the sides face west and east.

Forest clearings

If a lost person comes across a clearing, he will be very lucky. Determining the direction in this case will not be difficult. Orientation based on local characteristics in this case is very easy to carry out. The fact is that in forestry there is a custom of dividing the taiga into quarters. This is why clearings are cut. They go from west to east and from north to south. Quarter poles are installed at intersections. Their upper part is trimmed in a characteristic way: in the form of edges. They indicate the number of opposite blocks. Number 1 is installed in the northwest corner, the last one in the southeast. In order not to look for the starting post, you should remember a simple rule: the angle between the 2 smallest numbers will indicate the direction to the north.

However, there is an exception to this rule: in rare cases, clearings are cut without reference to the sides of the horizon. As a rule, this is facilitated by difficult terrain or some economic considerations.

In populated areas

If you come across villages along the way, even abandoned ones, this is still a very good help. It is much easier to navigate by terrain features here. Religious buildings are of primary interest because... they always have a strict orientation to the cardinal points.

Thus, in Orthodox churches the altar always faces the east, and the bell towers always face the west. The crosses on the tops are directed in a north-south orientation. There is one more feature here. The lowered edge of the lower crossbar faces south, and the raised edge faces north.

Buddhist monasteries are built facing south.

Dwellings also have their own patterns of location. So, at the yurts the exit is directed to the south.

Lichen quickly appears on northern facades and roof slopes. Also, on the shady side, boards are usually darker and remain damp longer after rain.

A few rules for orienteering in winter

When everything is covered in snow, it is much more difficult to determine your location and find the sides of the horizon. But here, too, there are a number of patterns. The orientation methods are as follows:

More snow accumulates on the north side of trees and buildings.
On the south side it begins to melt earlier, this process occurs faster.
In the mountains, the snow melts off from the south first.
In ravines, hollows, gullies, everything happens the other way around. The north side thaws first.

Misconception #1

There are both proven signs of orientation, and some that are not very accurate. One of them is that the annual rings on the south side are wider than on the north. However, this sign cannot be used as a guide, because it is not unambiguous. The expansion of tree rings can occur from any direction, and this is caused more by terrain features and microclimate than by exposure to sunlight. This statement was proven wrong over 100 years ago, but it is still alive and used.

Another problem that may arise if such methods of orientation are used is that in the taiga it is almost impossible to find a large number of neatly cut trees where the pattern would be clearly visible. And if you cut a tree in several places, you will notice that the width of the annual rings can change regardless of the direction and sometimes point in opposite directions.

Misconception #2

Attempts to determine the direction by crown density also cannot be crowned with success. The fact is that in its formation, sunlight is not the only factor, and certainly not the determining one. Therefore, the statement that the crown is thicker on the south side may be erroneous. In the forest, branches will always grow in the direction where there is more free space. And in open spaces, the dominant wind direction will be the determining factor. If they are strong, then you can see branches bent from constant exposure. The density of the crown is rather an auxiliary sign.

The most reliable way

Orientation based on local characteristics is not reliable enough. The best results are obtained by using celestial bodies to determine the sides of the horizon. Therefore, it is necessary to know the basic patterns of their location.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. At noon it is in the south. The shortest shadow is at 13 o'clock. It will be directed to the north. If the weather is cloudy, then you can try to put a knife on your nail: a barely noticeable shadow will still appear, and with it the direction and location of the sun will become clear.

Using a watch you can also determine the sides of the horizon. In this case, you need to point the hour hand towards the Sun. An angle is formed between it and the number 1, which must be divided in half. The bisector will indicate the direction: south will be in front, and north behind. In the first half of the day the angle will be to the left of 1, and in the second half to the right.

The polar star in our hemisphere is located in the north. To find it, you must first find it. It resembles a large ladle. Through the 2 rightmost stars you need to draw a line, set aside the distance 5 times. At the end there will be Polar. If you stand facing it, it will be in the direction of north.

The Moon also has a number of location patterns. When there is a full moon, it is equated to the Sun and the sides of the horizon are looked for in a similar way. However, we must take into account that it is opposed to the main luminary.

When you lose your bearings

If travelers still get lost, under no circumstances should they continue moving. First you need to find the sides of the horizon. Orientation should be carried out immediately, and then retrace your steps to the place where the location was absolutely clear. If you try to move on, hoping that everything will soon fall into place, then you can get lost and confused even more. In this case, it will be extremely difficult to get out.

As soon as it becomes clear that the group has lost its way, you need to immediately stop and look around carefully. It's good if there is a high hill nearby. In this case, you can look around and compare the visible area with the map, you can try to navigate using local signs of nature.

Not only special devices, but also Mother Nature herself, who has a lot of features, can help in determining your location and calculating the sides of the horizon. But this type of terrain orientation is used only in rare cases, since the reliability of this method is much lower than elementary ones.

Orientation by plants

Moss

Perhaps this is one of the most accurate ways to determine the North-South route. After all, moss and lichens grow exclusively on the northern side, and their ability to grow in the shade makes it possible to navigate the area not only with the help of trees and wooden buildings, but also with the help of large stones.

Tree bark

If you look closely at the tree bark, you will notice that on the north side it is always much darker and rougher. Of course, one tree will not show you the exact direction, but a group of trees will cope with this task almost perfectly.

Take, for example, the trunk of a pine tree. After a rainstorm, it begins to actively darken. And this phenomenon always originates from the north side. And all because the bark of coniferous trees has a developed secondary crust, which tends to form in shaded places and swell.

And in hot weather, pine can be just as useful. The main thing is to carefully determine which side of the trunk releases the largest amount of resin. This sign will point you in the south direction.

Grass

Even grass can become a good guide for a traveler. It is worth remembering that in open clearings the grass will grow thicker and more actively from the north. If you start from separate natural objects (stones, stumps, trees), then it is worth considering that in this case the grass will grow thicker on the south side. But it retains its greenness and richness, of course, from the north.

Orientation by artificial objects: Clearings

Often, huge forests are separated by clearings, with the help of which you can easily determine all four cardinal directions. Their felling takes place in a stationary mode from North to South and from West to East.

The territory is marked by a network of quarter posts. Before installation, their tops are cut off and the number of the clearing to which this or that post corresponds is burned (painted). Accordingly, the countdown from the first pillar is North-Western direction, from the last - South-East.

The quarterly network greatly facilitates not only the implementation of various tasks of forestry enterprises, but also orientation on the terrain for travelers. So this method is very simple and convenient in practice.

If you follow these simple rules, then finding your way around the area will not be difficult, and, therefore, the path will be easy and pleasant.

Travel with pleasure!

The ability to navigate without a compass requires good memory, attention and observation. There are many ways to navigate without a compass, and every traveler should not only know them, but also be able to choose the best, most correct and accurate for a given situation. In this case, the best helpers will be the sun, the moon, races, various natural phenomena, plants and animals

Sun orientation. Without a compass, you can determine where north and other countries on the horizon are by looking at the sun. The sun is the most reliable compass when the sky is not overcast. In addition, its warmth creates other indirect signs of orientation, which are also used on cloudy days. In the middle latitudes, in the summer, according to our customary clock count (civil time), the sun is in the east from 7 o'clock in the morning, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon it is approximately in the south, and at 7 cha pm - in the west. This means that if in the early morning you walk so that the sun is behind you and your own shadow lies in front, you will move to the west. If the morning sun 1 shines in his face as he moves, he goes east, noon (1 one o'clock in the afternoon) going into the sun means going due south. It is not difficult to calculate the intermediate positions of the sun in relation to the sides of the horizon. For example, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon it will be on southwest, and « 10 o'clock in the morning - in the southeast. However, it is possible to find the sides of the horizon quite accurately by the sun only at certain times (7 o'clock in the morning, 1 o'clock in the afternoon, 7 o'clock in the evening). How to find the north at 2 o'clock in the afternoon or at 5 o'clock in the evening, or at any time of the day or night? In addition, determining the sides of the horizon can be done in sunny weather, when the Sun shows noon. If you have a hand watch or, even better, a pocket watch, you can determine the North-South direction from it, provided that the sun is shining brightly enough and the shadows are very clear and your watch is set to local time. Place the watch on the palm of your hand so that the hour hand is directed towards the sun, then the angle formed on the clock between the hour hand and the number» I

on the dial, should be divided in half. The line dividing this angle will be the north-south direction. In this case, the south is in the direction where the sun was or will be in the middle of the day.Fig. 11.

Orientation by the sun and clock Orientation by the moon. There are two ways to orient yourself to the moon. The first one uses the first and last quarters. Connecting the ends"horns"

in a straight line, you need to extend this line until it intersects with the horizon, then in the Northern Hemisphere at this point it will be south, and in the Southern Hemisphere it will be north. The method is somewhat crude, but quite convenient for moving at night.

Fig. 12. Moon orientation - 1st method

The second method is based on tracking the full moon and its first and last quarters. But it assumes the presence of a watch. If they exist and show local time, then the cardinal directions can be determined as follows:
Direction to the moon	Local time	Full moon	Last quarter

	Southwest	East Southeast
Midnight	West		East
	Southwest	Southeast
	West

The second way to navigate by the moon

Orientation by the stars. To do this, in the Northern Hemisphere you need to find the constellation Ursa Major in the sky. With its help, it is not difficult to find the North Star - the last star in the tail of Ursa Minor. It is found by continuing the line connecting the two outermost stars (Alpha and Beta) of the Ursa Major bucket, and setting aside a distance from it five times greater than the distance of these stars from each other. The direction to the North Star coincides with the true meridian, and if a perpendicular from it is lowered to the earth's surface, then it shows the direction to the north. Of course, this definition is very approximate, but it gives a fairly correct direction to the cardinal points, having

Fig. 13. Finding direction one of them is the direction to the north

north according to the North Star

Orientation along forest clearings. There are other local signs by which you can navigate, sometimes even man-made, for example, forest clearings. In large forest areas, clearings are cut from north to south and transverse ones from west to east. Quarter posts are placed at the intersections of clearings; Four numbers are written at the ends of these columns. They indicate block numbers. Forest blocks are always numbered from left to right and then from top to bottom, just like we read a book . It is clear that the numbers are located on the column in the same way as the blocks are located on the ground: with smaller numbers in the northwest and northeast, with larger numbers in the southwest and southeast.

Fig. 14.Determining the sides of the horizonby quarterly columns.

Orientation based on local characteristics. In nature there are many signs by which you can determine the countries of the world. However, not all of them actually allow us to talk about reliability. Thus, you cannot navigate by the branches and rings of trees, although this method is quite often found in popular literature. Usually there are more branches on the southern, sunny side of the tree and fewer on the northern. But the branches of trees usually develop more strongly not from the south side, as is commonly believed, but towards free space. If a tree grew far from the others, then on one side the branches are denser and there are more of them, and on the other - much less often. However, this method is inaccurate, and it must be used carefully, checking its correctness by other signs indicating the direction to the north or south. In a forest, for example, this method cannot be used, since the tree grows in the direction where it is freer, which means there is more light. In addition, the location of branches on a tree may depend on the direction of constant winds. Under their influence, the branches will be thicker not on the south, but on the leeward side. Knowing the direction of the constantly blowing winds, you can, however, make an adjustment and still find where north is. For free-standing trees, except

wind and other factors are also of great importance, and the determination of the cardinal points based on them is often uncertain.

Fig. 15. Orientation by

separate standing tree Fig. 16. Orientation by stumps

You can determine the sides of the horizon by stumps. The distances between the annual rings are wider on one side of the tree and narrower on the other. On the side where the sun's rays illuminate the tree better, the wood grows faster - this is the south side. Where there is less light and heat, the rings are located closer together, this is the north side. Of course, this method of orientation must be used carefully, with amendments.

After all, the winds also interfere with the free development of the tree trunk, as well as its branches. As a result of the prevailing wind, it may turn out that the annual rings

are located closer not on the north side, but, for example, on the northeast. In these cases, an amendment should be made. Determinations based on bark and lichens (algae) growing on tree trunks are more reliable. Lichens are always developed predominantly on the northern side, and birch bark is lighter and more elastic on the southern side. The bark of many trees is rougher on the north side. The trunks of pine trees are covered with a secondary crust, which forms earlier on the north side and extends higher; this is especially visible after rains, when the crust swells and turns black. In hot weather, the resin on the trunks of coniferous trees appears more abundantly on the south side. On stones, as well as on trees, lichens and moss often cover the northern side. But in some cases it again depends on the direction of the winds. To the south of stumps, trunks, and large stones, the grass is thicker and taller. In summer, when

During prolonged hot weather, the grass south of rocks, stones, trees and other barriers (screens) turns yellow and dries out earlier. In summer, the soil near large stones, stumps and rocks is drier to the touch on the south side. The nature of the slopes and their vegetation are important features for orientation. The southern slopes are mostly drier and warmer and, accordingly, slightly different types of vegetation are developed on them than on the northern ones. Often the southern slopes are covered with grass, while the northern slopes are covered with forest, or the southern slopes are inhabited by more heat-loving and dry-loving trees, such as oak. In the mountains on the southern slopes, the tree line and snow line are in most cases higher than on the northern ones. In permafrost areas on the southern slopes, the permafrost thaws more deeply in the summer or does not thaw at all, so on the northern slopes the swampiness is stronger and the slope is covered with denser forest cover. The flowers of many wild plants track the Sun's position in the sky even when it is obscured by clouds, especially those with open yellow calyxes. As a result, in the Northern Hemisphere around noon they are turned to the South. Plants such as sunflower and string allow you to navigate even on a cloudy day. Their flowers turn to follow the sun during the day and never face north. However, you also need to take into account the wind, which can tilt and turn plants.

The sun creates numerous other phenomena in nature that help us navigate. So, in the forest near stumps and in the swamp near hummocks on the southern side, which heats up more, berries - blueberries, cloudberries, cranberries - ripen earlier than on the northern side. The berries serve as a compass.

There are also plants in nature that cannot stand the hot rays of the sun and love moisture and dampness; Thus, stones covered with moss can serve as a kind of landmark. Moss often grows only on one side, the northern one. In spring, grass grows thicker on the northern edges of forest clearings or at the southern edges of the forest - there is less shade and more sun; On stumps, tree trunks, and large stones, the grass has time to grow taller and thicker on the southern side, but by autumn it fades, turns yellow, and dries faster on this side. The difference in the nature of vegetation in the mountains is especially noticeable - on the southern and northern slopes. In the northern areas, spruce and fir predominate; in the southern areas, dry and heat-loving trees such as oak and pine predominate. On the southern slopes the vegetation is more lush, dense and it climbs higher along the slope; the snow line is also higher here. The sun's warmth also helps you navigate in winter. The nature and density of snow on the northern and southern slopes are different. In the south it is more dense and granular, in the north it is loose and dry. In spring, snow melts faster on southern slopes than on northern ones. In early spring, holes appear in the snow around the trees. They are formed as a result of the reflection of sunlight from a tree trunk. These holes have an irregular shape - they seem to be stretched in one direction to the south. After all, the sun shines in our latitudes most of the day from the south, and most of the sun’s warm rays will be reflected from the south side of the tree.

The wind itself can serve for orientation in those areas where its direction is constant in summer and winter. Knowing the direction of these prevailing winds, it is not difficult to establish the required direction based on certain signs, even in calm weather. Most trees, especially on the edges, are inclined to the wind. In the mountains at the edge of the forest, tree branches are often stretched downwind in the shape of a flag. The wind polishes stones, weathers niches and cornices; the location and shape of barchans and dunes can also serve for orientation. In winter, you can determine the direction of the wind by the crests of the winding sastrugi, running perpendicular to the wind, and the sculpted sastrugi, located with raised ribs towards the wind. The wind polishes stones, weathers niches and cornices; the location and shape of dunes and dunes can also serve for orientation.

Fig. 17. Orientation along sandy Fig. 18. Orientation on snow holes

dunes in deserts around trees and in places of spring

melting snow

Snow provides a number of additional indicators, especially in spring. It melts earlier on the southern slopes of hills and mountains. The steeper the slope, the earlier thawed patches appear. On the north side of holes and hollows facing south, the snow also melts earlier. Tree roots appear earlier from under the snow on the south side of the trunk. The hole around the tree, melted from the sun's rays, is extended to the south. Such holes appear on sunny days not only in spring, but also in autumn, so they can be confused with holes caused by wind blowing. In spring, on the southern slopes and on the southern side of the snow mounds, protrusions, spikes or needles appear, formed when the snow melts; as a rule, their axis is directed towards the highest point of the sun during this period of the year.

It is very good to navigate through anthills. They are always located near some tree, stump or bush and always on the south side in order to better utilize the sun's heat. The shape of the anthill also indicates where north is. The southern side of the anthill is sloping, the northern side is much steeper.

Fig. 19. Anthill navigation

But, of course, orientation based on local characteristics is only possible when they are in a specific natural area. You cannot use in the desert what is suitable for the taiga, tundra, mountains and vice versa. Using all these methods, you can navigate anywhere, at any time of year and day, in any weather. To do this, you just need to be observant, be able to take note of everything and, based on your knowledge, compare, compare and draw a conclusion . However, sometimes it still happens that inexperienced or insufficiently attentive people get lost in the forest or in the field. Having lost their orientation, they describe circles with a diameter of 3-4 km. In the old days they even attributed this to the influence of evil spirits.

Fig.20. Linear landmarks

The point, of course, is not about evil spirits, but about one of the physiological characteristics of a person.

Moving without orientation on relatively flat terrain, a person takes a left step

almost half a centimeter larger than the right one and therefore imperceptibly the dog always turns to the right. It is obvious, therefore, how important it is to be able to move in a dense forest in one direction. Even if you lose your bearings, but patiently and persistently moving straight, you will always come to some landmark (river, road, clearing, lake), where you can figure out

situation and restore orientation. Sometimes orientation, or at least walking straight, is helped by the wind blowing for a long time in one direction, and clouds also driven by the wind across the sky in the water direction. By focusing on the wind or clouds and moving towards or at a certain angle to them, you can be sure that

you go straight. It should, however, be remembered that when entering a dense forest, in addition to counting steps and noting time, you must definitely study the area along which you are going to walk using a map or diagram. Particular attention should be paid to the so-called lateral linear landmarks (river, railway, highway, ridge of heights, long lake, etc.), which lie from right to left, parallel to the direction of movement. Snow provides a number of additional indicators, especially in spring. It melts earlier on the southern slopes of hills and mountains. The steeper the slope, the earlier thawed patches appear. On the south-facing side of pits and hollows the snow also melts earlier. Tree roots appear earlier from under the snow on the south side of the trunk. The hole around the tree, melted from the sun's rays, is extended to the south. Such holes appear on sunny days not only in spring, but also in autumn, so they can be confused with holes caused by wind blowing. In spring, on the southern slopes and on the southern side of the snow mounds, protrusions, spikes or needles appear, formed when the snow melts; as a rule, their axis is directed towards the highest point of the sun during this period of the year. But, of course, orientation based on local characteristics is only possible when they correspond to a specific natural zone. What is suitable for the desert is not suitable for the taiga, tundra and mountains, and vice versa. If you lose your bearings in the depths of the forest and are unable to determine the sides of the horizon and your standing point, you must turn approximately towards such a lateral landmark and move straight until you reach it. In all cases of loss of orientation, there is no need to lose your presence of mind, worry and thoughtlessly move in one direction or another - rush around. You should sit down, calmly think about the entire path you have traveled, remember the landmarks you have passed (ditches, clearings, forest roads, a burned area of forest, etc.), and if you are not sure that you will be able to find side landmarks, retrace your steps to that place. where the orientation was clear.

Determining the standing point. Orientation in relation to the sides of the horizon with or without a compass is an important and difficult art. However, knowing the directions north, south, west, east is only half the battle. In order to correctly calculate the route, determine its length, and then move confidently, you must be able to find your point of standing, that is, determine where, in what place you are at any given moment. At the beginning of movement along the route, determining the stopping point is usually quite simple, since you know exactly when you left and from which outskirts (northern, eastern, southwestern) of the city or village. The paths are a different matter. Here it is much more difficult to determine the point of your standing. Of course, you can determine your location while driving along the road, using kilometer posts (“we areat such and such a kilometer from the city ... "). according to questions from local residents, according to road signs with inscriptions, etc. But sometimes on the road you have to move along roads and paths where there are no kilometer markers, where you rarely come across passers-by and there is no one to ask about the road. In these cases, the location point is determined using a map, diagram or route tape. In order to determine your location on the map, you must first of all align its upper part (northern) with the direction to the north (orient the map). Orient the map using a compass. For this purpose, the compass arrow released and pointing north is combined with the eastern or western edge of the map or with the meridional line on the map. After the map is oriented, carefully compare the terrain opening ahead with its image on the map, find it on the ground (right, left, ahead) clearly visible landmarks. They look for their images on the map and, comparing the map with the terrain, find an approximate point of their standing. When driving along a forest road, road intersections, clearings, bridges over forest rivers, streams, and ravines shown on the map are of great importance for orientation and determination of standing points. With the help of these landmarks, you can always approximately find the point of your standing or, as topographers say, make a reference, become attached to the terrain. When moving through a dense forest or bush without roads, the point of your standing is determined by measuring the distance traveled in steps, or by the time spent. It is known that the average speed of movement through the forest is 2.5-3 kmV hour, and if half an hour has passed since entering the forest, then we are approximately 1.25-1.5 km from the edge. Therefore, when entering a dense forest, it is necessary to start counting steps or mark the time. Then, using a compass, measure the angle (azimuth) from the landmark to the starting point and measure the distance to this point by eye or in steps (in meters). The distance is then converted to scale and plotted on the map. You will get a standing point.

Fragment of a section of a desert map with designations of dunes, dune chains, and others

At any time, a situation may arise when you do not have the necessary map or compass with you, but you really need to get to a certain place. What to do, how not to get lost and achieve your goal?

So, there is unknown terrain, but there is no plan or diagram, no compass at hand. In this case, you need to be able to determine the sides of the horizon and time. Orientation based on natural characteristics takes place at school. There is a lot you just need to remind yourself, and some points are good to remember.

Solar orientation algorithm

The first thing that is almost always available is the celestial bodies. First, it is worth considering orientation to the Sun. Procedure for the CIS territory:

Turn to face the luminous landmark.
Place the watch so that the arrow points to the Sun.
Draw a line by eye between this arrow and 1 (if winter time) or 2 (summer time).

Thus, if you have a clock, you can determine where south is.

In the northern hemisphere at 12 noon the Sun will be in the south. It is necessary to remember that the sunrise and sunset points will differ depending on the time of year. In summer, these are the northeast and northwest, respectively. In winter - southeast and southwest. In spring and autumn, it is easiest to navigate by the Sun, since the luminary strictly rises in the east, and sets, of course, in the west. In the southern hemisphere, everything needs to be done the other way around.

Features of lunar orientation

At night, you should use the same method to find the sides of the horizon, only focusing on the Moon (during a full moon). Or assume that in the evening it is in the east, at midnight - in the south, in the morning - in the west. The remaining parties will not be difficult to determine. Orientation to the Moon in other phases occurs differently. In summer, the Earth's satellite in the first quarter (when the right side of the star is visible) will be in the south in the evening and in the west at 2 am. The waning Moon is located in the west at night, and in the south by morning.

Another way: draw a line in your mind between the horns of the month and mentally extend it to the horizon - this will be the southern direction.

Two types of star orientation

The most reliable star by which you can find out the northern direction is polar Star. It can be found by well-known constellations: mentally draw a line from the outer two right stars of the Ursa Major bucket to the outermost star of the Ursa Minor's tail - this will be a segment ending with the Polar Star.

In the southern hemisphere, navigation by the stars occurs differently. The constellation is located South Cross, consisting of five stars (four in the shape of a cross, the fifth between two of these four). The vertical axis of this cross will point south.

Orientation based on local characteristics

In unfavorable weather conditions, navigation without a map will rely on various natural signs that determine the sides of the horizon:

Trees:

the bark is darker and rougher - north, lighter and thinner - south;
pine trunk is blacker (after precipitation) – north;
coniferous resin in large quantities - south;
denser arrangement of annual rings on stumps – north;
the crown of lonely trees is thicker and more luxuriant - south;
trees, as well as stones and roofs of houses are densely covered with moss, lichens and fungi - north.

Important! Orientation based only on local features may not always be accurate. For example, in a forest, tree branches may be thicker not on the south side, as expected, but on the freer side. Also, lonely trees are not a guarantee of accuracy. There is no certainty that the tree always grew separately, and the nature of the crown may depend not so much on the sunny side as on the prevailing winds, especially in mountainous areas.

Anthills:

always located on the south side of stumps and trees;
gentle slope - south, steep - north.

Fruit:

the ripe side of a berry or fruit (red, yellow) – south.

The soil:

in summer, near buildings, trees or under large stones and boulders, it is drier on the south side.

Snow:

melts quickly on the south side, so the formed notches are directed to the south;
in hollows, ravines and gullies it’s the other way around – the northern one melts first;
snow in the mountains first melts from the south;
More snow accumulates on the northern side of trees and buildings.

Shadow:

the shortest (observed at 13.00) points to the north.

Grass and plants:

during prolonged heat, the grass turns yellow and is drier to the south of stumps, pillars and stones, on the north side it can remain green;
in spring, on the south side of these objects, the grass grows higher and thicker than on the north;
a sunflower is never directed to the north; the flower is usually facing the sun.

Advice: The most difficult thing is to navigate according to local characteristics in the steppe. In this case, you will have to look for a dried out plant, or a “steppe compass” - a field weed lettuce(Lactuca serriola). Its leaves grow vertically, with ribbed edges oriented north-south, with the front side of the leaf facing east and the back side facing west.

In large forest areas, you can navigate by clearings. They usually have two directions: north-south or west-east.

Orientation without a map in a populated area

In addition to natural signs, there are others that are also important for navigation without a compass or terrain plan. These are elements of industrial or religious buildings.

If a decision is made to go to a populated area, it is necessary to determine which direction to go and how to constantly maintain this direction. If you have a compass, these problems can be solved easily. It is much more difficult to act in the absence of it.

In such a situation, you need to look for some constant, reliable signs of the direction to the north (as the direction taken as 0°). After the direction to the north has been determined, it is necessary to determine the angle (direction) in which an attempt is made to reach the populated area, and maintain this direction while moving.

The most accurate way to determine the sides of the horizon is by looking at the celestial bodies: the Sun, the Moon, and the stars. The easiest way to determine the direction north is during the day, in cloudless weather. To do this, at noon you need to stand with your back to the Sun - the shadow will indicate the direction to the north.

In the absence of a clock, when it is not possible to determine the time of noon, the following method is used.

A small pole (about 1 m) is stuck into the ground, and the end of its shadow is marked with a pebble or peg. After some time, the end of the shadow is again marked. Then you need to draw a straight line from the first mark through the second and another 30 - 40 cm. After this, stand so that the toe of your left foot is at the first mark, and the toe of your right foot is at the end of the drawn line. In this position, the person stands facing north (Fig. 118).

Without waiting for half a day, you can determine the sides of the horizon using the Sun and a watch as follows: the watch is placed on the palm of your hand in a horizontal plane, then it must be turned so that the hour hand points to the Sun (the minute and second hands are not taken into account; electronic watches with digital indicator is not suitable). The bisector of the angle formed by the hour hand directed towards the Sun and the direction towards number 1 (summer) or 2 (winter) will show the north-south direction. Moreover, before noon, the south will be to the right of the Sun, and after noon - to the left (Fig. 119).

It should be noted that this method gives a relatively accurate determination of direction in winter; less accurate - in autumn and spring, in summer an error of up to 20° is possible.

With the help of the Sun and a clock, it is possible to op- erate relatively accurately.

determine the required azimuth of movement, knowing that in one hour the Sun moves across the sky by 15°. Based on this, with the help of the Sun and a compass, in the absence of a clock, you can approximately determine the time.

At night, the direction to the north can be most accurately determined by the North Star, which, although it moves relative to earthly objects, like all stars, this deviation in moderate latitudes is only 1.5°, so it can be neglected. If you stand facing the North Star, then north will be directly in front of you.

In order to find the North Star in the constellation Ursa Minor, you must first find the constellation Ursa Major, which is a huge, well-known bucket of seven stars.

Let us mentally continue the straight line passing through the two outermost stars of the Big Dipper, and at a distance approximately equal to five times the distance between them, there is a bright Polar Star (Fig. 120).

You can also determine the sides of the horizon by the Moon, especially when the stars are not visible due to clouds. The Full Moon opposes the Sun, i.e. is against him. Therefore, an approximate determination of the sides of the horizon using the full Moon and the clock is practically done in the same way as using the Sun and the clock. It should be noted that in northern latitudes during the night the northern side of the sky is the lightest, and the southern side is darker.

If it is cloudy and there is no clock, you can determine the cardinal directions using local objects. In this case, you should use first of all those signs that are directly determined by the influence of the Sun, its long-term impact on objects.

The error in determining the direction will be greater, so it is necessary to use not one, but several signs. If the results coincide, one can hope for the correct determination of the direction.

You should look for signs on isolated plants and objects, since in the thicket of the forest the effect of sunlight is not clearly expressed.

Mosses and lichens on the bark of trees mainly grow on the north side, as they tend to develop in shade and dampness. They also grow on old wooden buildings, large stones, and rocks. By comparing several trees and stones, it is possible to quite accurately determine the north-south line by the location of the moss (Fig. 121).

The bark of trees on the northern side is usually coarser and darker than on the southern side, which is especially noticeable on birch, pine, larch, and aspen trees.

Usually, after rain, the trunks of pine trees turn black on the north side. This is explained by the fact that a thin secondary crust is developed on the pine bark, which forms earlier on the shady side of the trunk and extends higher than on the southern side. This crust darkens and swells during rain.

In hot weather, more resin is released on the southern side of the pine and spruce trunk than on the northern side.

In spring, the grass cover is better developed on the northern edges of the meadows, which are warmed by the sun longer and better. In ravines, hollows, pits, snow thaws faster on the north side, since the rays of the sun falling from the south do not fall on the southern edges of the depressions. The same melting of snow is observed in footprints left in the snow.

For the same reason, in the spring, snow melts faster from individual trees, stumps, and large stones in the spring (Fig. 122), and grass grows earlier and thicker. This is explained by the fact that in these places the land warms up better. In summer, on the northern side of trees, stones, and buildings, the ground is wetter than on the southern side. Southern slopes of hills are usually drier, less turfed, and more susceptible to erosion processes.

On northern slopes, dew lasts longer in the morning (however, the direction of the wind must also be taken into account). The berries ripen earlier, again, on the northern slopes of ravines and southern slopes of hills.

The effect of sunlight also affects the degree of fruit ripening - they turn red or yellow earlier on branches facing south.

The activity of sunlight also affects the lives of animals and insects. Ants almost always make their homes to the south of the nearest stones, trees and bushes; the southern side of the anthill is flatter than the northern, which allows it to receive more heat and light (see Fig. 121). However, sometimes the location of anthills depends on the local climate and terrain.

Gophers often make their burrows south of rocks and trees. In the spring, flocks of migratory birds fly north, and in the fall - south.

The idea that the crown of trees is more luxuriant on the south side is not always justified. In free-standing trees, the configuration of the crown depends on the prevailing wind direction, and in the forest, tree branches develop towards free space, and not towards the south. You cannot navigate by the annual rings on the stumps of cut trees. The width of the wood rings depends on a number of factors (wind direction, etc.) and is uneven not only along the cut, but also along the vertical of the trunk.

Of the other methods for determining the sides of the horizon based on local characteristics, the most accurate are those that rely on traces of human activity. Thus, the altars of Orthodox churches face east, the bell towers face west. The lowered edge of the lower crossbar of the cross on the dome of the Orthodox Church faces the south, the raised edge faces the north (Fig. 123).

Forest clearings can help in determining the direction. In large forest areas, clearings are usually cut in the directions north-south and west-east. The forest is divided by clearings into quarters, which are usually numbered from west to east and from north to south, so that the first number is placed in the northwest corner, and the last in the southeast. The numbers of the quarters are indicated on quarter pillars, which are placed at the intersection of clearings, and the upper part of the pillar is hewn in the form of edges, on each of which the number of the quarter opposite it is inscribed (Fig. 124). Thus, the edge between two adjacent faces with the smallest numbers indicates the direction north. We must remember that sometimes, for some reason, the network of clearings can be oriented in some other direction.

When orienting based on local signs alone, one cannot draw a conclusion about the direction of the cardinal directions based on one or two signs. Observations must be made on several of them, analyzed and conclusions drawn only after confirmation and coincidence of the observation results. While driving, you should constantly carefully monitor the state of local signs, making sure that your conclusion is correct.