Watch Method: Northern Hemisphere1. Find an analog watch (the kind with hour and minute hands) that is set accurately.Place it on a level surface, such as the ground, or hold it horizontal in your hand.
2. Point the hour hand at the sun.
3. Bisect (that is, find the centre point of)
the angle between the hour hand and the twelve o'clock mark (the number 12 on the watch). The centre of the angle between the hour hand and twelve o'clock mark is the north-south line. If you don't know which way is north and which south, just remember that no matter where you are, the
sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
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In the northern hemisphere the sun is due south at midday. If your watch is set to daylight saving time bisect the angle between the hour hand and the one o'clock mark instead.
Watch Method: Southern Hemisphere
1. Use an analogue watch as above, and point the watch's twelve o'clock mark (the number 12) toward the sun. If your watch is set to daylight saving time, point the one o'clock mark toward the sun.
2. Bisect the angle between the twelve o'clock mark (or one o'clock mark if using daylight saving time) and the hour hand to find the north-south line. If you're unsure which way is north, remember that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west no matter where you are. In the southern hemisphere, however, the sun is due north at midday.
Tips
• When trying to locate the North Star it is important to remember that, despite popular belief, the North Star is NOT the brightest star in the sky. The only remarkable thing about it is that it is the only star in the sky that does not move.
• If you only have a digital watch, you can still aim the watch accurately at the sun, as you figure out where the hour hand will be. Use 12, 3, 6 and 9 o clock's angles to guide you to the other hours, smaller increments for half/quarter hours.
• In Northern Hemisphere, halfway between hour hand and 12 is South. Halfway between 12 and hour hand in Southern Hemisphere is North.
• These methods may require practice to perfect, so it's a good idea to try them a couple times when you can check your readings. That way, you'll be able to rely on them if you're in a survival situation.
• If you have a 24h dial on your clock (like many pilot watches), then just point the hour hand at the sun, and north is at the 0/24h mark
Warnings
• The North Star becomes higher in the sky the further north you travel, and it is not useful about 70° N latitude.
• The shadow-tip methods are not recommended in the polar regions, which are latitudes above 60° in either hemisphere.
• The watch method is not recommended in lower latitudes, particularly below 20° in either hemisphere.