DEFINE NORTH

What I would call vikings if I had a lisp.

Sorry.

Pun demons made me do it.

Im just preparing a lecture for a mine survey class and Ill have the little dears out late at night determining north.

Hint, it involves a couple of stars, not just Polaris

How I once defined "North"

you opt for the demographic approach. I will say that , while your nswer has merit, it is not the ones I am searching for.

Umm... North is on your right side when you are staring perpendicular to the setting sun on or directly above the horizon?

Oh right! Something about the handle of the Big Dipper! Or something... Right?

Is the solution the same for me as for you? Hint: it's nearly winter.

I give up. Polaris comes closer than any magnetic compass. What more do I need?

you can skip directly to the GPS part of the question. Sorry mate

On a clear, starry night (Northern Hemisphere), look up at the sky and find the "Plough" (also known as the seven Sisters).

Locate the two end stars, at the opposite end to the "handle" of the plough. Let's call these two end stars A and B, B being the final star of the Plough.

Trace a straight line starting at "A", through "B" and carry that line on into space until you pass another star (you either hit this star, or come very close). Call this star "C".

Star "C" sits directly above our North "Pole", which, when viewed from earth, all other stars in the Northern Hemisphere appear to revolve around, due to the rotation of our planet.

Stand facing directly towards star "C", point at it and then bring your arm directly vertical, down to the horizon.

You have now located Earths true North.

close, very close

farmerman - which north do you mean, geographic or magnetic?
Do you need a fairly precise measurement (1 or 2 degrees), or just good enough to not get lost in the woods?

I assume "non-C&P" means to not Copy-And-Paste from another webpage.

Far as I understand, GPS works by measuring the time it takes a radio signal to reach you from at least four GPS satellites. Each satellite has an atomic clock on board, so at very precise times it transmits certain signals. Your receiver is programmed to "know" the exact orbit of every GPS satellite, so when a signal arrives a nanosecond earlier or later than expected, it knows that it is closer or further from the satellite.

But without a directional antenna, GPS by itself can't tell the direction that the signals come from, no? So you would have to walk in some direction and see how the GPS puts you in a different location. Once you have two points located accurately, you can take a directional heading from them.

Or walk in such a way that your latitude increases, but longitude remains the same.



Usually, I just take the exit that says "highway north" or "Canada 760 miles".

To me North means cold, beautiful, rugged, very friendly people and nicer politicians.

I guess you could watch a gyroscope for an hour or so.
If it doesn't precess at all then it must be pointing to geographic north. Or south. One or the other.

Or if a vertical gyro starts tipping directly towards you, as you face it, then north must be to the . . . ow that hurts!

If it's a sunny day, point to the sunrise with your right hand. Hold that position. Wait. A bit longer.
Okay, now point to the sunset with your left hand. Careful, don't move the right hand!
Your nose is pointing north. You may put your arms down now.

Long day, huh? Yeah I hate that.

This is a guess, but maybe the two poles are the points in the Earth where the axis of rotation emerges, and the North pole is the axis around which the points on the Earth rotate counter clockwise as seen from above the pole.

Do what Lord Ellpus did 6 months apart and split the difference??

Moss grows on the north side of trees and boulders. Go look.

North is easy. If your watch is precise enough, measure the angle of the sun from the horizon, factor in what day of the year it is and whether daylight savings time is in effect, then tell your girlfriend to go ask someone for directions.

Why would it?

Made in the shade - over time the sun bleaches and wears out things that face south.

Not so much in Arizona where everything gets blasted, but the further north you go the greater the difference is between the north and south faces of anything.