How to Find Compass Points With the North Star

The night is preparing to engulf you, it's been 5 hours since you were separated from your hiking group, hope for your survival and rescue is fading. Suddenly you realize that 3 months ago on instructables you read something and feel full of gratitude for the guy who posted it. In this instructables I will teach you a survival technique that is as old as mankind itself. Everyone from Indians to early ship captains used it as a vital navigation too find there way. Learning it may be simple but you may find that it will save your life one day. I will show you the easiest method. If you live in a city or any smoggy place (new york, LA, etc.) you probably won't need this since you can't see the stars.

If you can find the big dipper you can find the north star. The big dipper should be simple to find. it looks like a trapazoid with a handle. Or as shown in the picture.

1. Take the two stars opposite where the handle is attached.
2. Line them up and continue along that line until you hit the brighter star at the end of the little dipper's handle
3. That right there is the north star and you can orient yourself by using the fact west is left east is right