How to identify the direction clearly when there is no light?

Nowadays, many people are only familiar with the southeast and the northwest near them, but they can't tell the difference when they come to cities or mountainous areas. Some friends only know that the map goes up north and down south, left west and right east, but in real life, there is nothing they can do.

Many people know that the place where the sun rises is the east, and the place where the sun sets is the west, and then according to the left west and right.

Then, how can you tell the difference between the southeast and the northwest on a night without the sun, the stars, the moon, the cloudy day, the rainy day and the snowy day? Road signs in the city will indicate the southeast and northwest, so what about non-urban places or the wild without road signs? How to distinguish between southeast and northwest? (For example, leaves, rivers and crops can tell the direction.)

1. Polaris is the best compass, and the direction of Polaris is due north.

2. The Big Dipper, the constellation Ursa Major, is like a huge spoon, which is easy to find in a clear night sky. Seen from the direction of the extension lines of the two stars beside the spoon, there is a brighter one about five times apart. The dense side of the tree and moss crown should be the south, and the sparse side should be the north. The truth of moss is alternating with it. In addition, the direction can be determined by observing the tree rings. The sparse side of the tree rings faces south, and the dense side faces north.

4. The place where the snow melts first must be facing south.

5. Observing that the moon itself does not shine, It reflects sunlight. When it revolves around the earth in a period of more than 28 days, the shape of the moon will change from the perspective of the earth because of its different relative positions. If the moon and the sun are on the same side of the earth, it will lose sight of the moonlight, which is called the "new moon" (A)-then with the counterclockwise revolution, it gradually reflects sunlight, and the moon gradually becomes full. The full moon and the sun are located on both sides of the earth (B) Then it gradually loses money, and goes on and on. This can be used to determine the direction. If the moon rises before the sun, the illuminated side is in the west. If the moon rises after the sun, the "glowing" side is in the east. This method seems simple and clear, but it doesn't mean that you can use the moon to distinguish the east-west direction all night.

6. Observe the ant caves, and the holes are mostly facing south. < p You can also find an eye-catching rock to observe. The moss-covered side of the rock is the north side, and the dry and bare side is the south side.

8. You can also use a watch to identify the direction: divide the time you are in by 2, and then aim the quotient at the sun. The direction indicated by 12 on the dial is the north.

9. Using the characteristics of ground features, the following ground features can help us identify the direction: house: the general door of the house faces. This is especially true in the north of China. Temples: temples usually have doors to the south, especially the main halls in the temple group. Trees: The south-facing side of trees is lush with bright colors and smooth bark, while the north-facing side is the opposite. At the same time, moss may grow on the trunk of the north-facing side. Protruding features: such as walls, ridges, stones, etc., and the base of the north-facing side is wet and moss plants may grow. Its edge (bank and edge) to the north is the same as the protruding ground features.

1. Other methods. 1. Determine the direction by using the characteristics of nature. In the absence of topographic maps, compass and other equipment, we should learn to use some characteristics of nature to determine the direction. < P > First of all, the sun is the most reliable "compass". < P > We know that the sun moves from east to west. By 12 noon, the sun is due south and the shadow points to the north; By 6: pm, the sun is due west, and the shadow points to the east. Therefore, the direction can be roughly determined by the shadow of the sun and objects.

As the saying goes, "immediate effect", use a pole (straight pole) to make it perpendicular to the ground, and put a stone at the vertex A of the pole shadow; About 1 minutes, when the apex of the shadow of the benchmark moves to B, put another stone to connect the two points A and B into a straight line. This straight line points to the east-west direction, and the direction perpendicular to the AB line is the north-south direction. One end facing the sun is the south, and the opposite direction is the north (Figure 5).

According to this method, the higher and thinner the pole is, the more perpendicular it is to the ground, and the longer the shadow moves. The more accurate the direction is, especially around 12 noon. For example, the shadow lengths of the two times are almost equal, the connecting line of the vertices just points to the east-west direction, and the vertical line of the connecting line can also accurately point out the north-south direction.

The earth rotates 36 degrees in 24 hours and turns 15 degrees in an hour, but the hour hand of a watch always turns twice as fast as the sun. According to this principle, the position can be roughly determined by the watch and the sun. At 6 am. The shadow points to the west. At this time, when the hour hand on the watch points to the sun, the word "12" on the dial points to the west. If the dial rotates 9 degrees, it will be half at 6 o'clock, so that the word "3" on the dial faces the sun and the word "12" points to the north. At 12 noon, the sun is located in the south, so that the character "6" on the dial faces the sun, then the character "12" still refers to the north (Figure 6).

To determine the direction according to this method, the local time difference should be considered. conversion of time, Beijing should be regarded as the local time. The line of 12 degrees east longitude shall prevail, and Beijing time will be increased by one hour for every 15 degrees east longitude, and every 15 degrees west. It is the local time. If the geographical coordinate of Urumqi is 87 degrees and 4 minutes east longitude, then (12-87) ÷ 15 = 2 hours and 9 minutes, and Beijing time minus 2 hours and 9 minutes is the local time of Urumqi.

The above two methods, In summer, it can't be used in areas south of the Tropic of Cancer (23 degrees 27 minutes north latitude) in Chiayi, Taiwan Province, Nan 'ao Island, northeast of Shantou, Guangdong, Wuzhou, Guangxi and Gejiu, Yunnan.

By the way, we know the principle that the relative position of the earth and the sun moves by 15 degrees during the rotation of the earth, and we can roughly determine the direction with a watch and the sun. On the contrary, we can also measure the approximate time with the compass and the sun. The reading of the sun's azimuth can be divided by 15. In China, Beijing time is the standard, and Beijing is on the line of 12 east longitude. Other areas should make corrections according to the longitude difference, that is, the correct solar time.

As the saying goes, "Everything depends on the sun", and the thermal energy of the sun has formed many characteristics of indirectly determining the direction in nature. After mastering these characteristics, Even on a cloudy day without the sun, you can still judge the direction according to this. For example, the grass in the south near the stumps, trunks and big stones grows tall and luxuriantly, and the grass in the south withers and dries yellow faster in winter. The bark in the south is generally smooth and rough (there are many cracks and uneven bumps on the bark). This phenomenon is most obvious in birch trees. The bark in the south of birch trees is lighter than that in the north. Moreover, it is elastic.

In summer, the gum resin from the trunks of pine and cypress trees is more in the south than that from the north, and the caking is bigger. The secondary bark covered on the trunks of pine trees formed earlier in the north and developed higher upward. This phenomenon is more prominent when the bark swells and turns black after rain. In autumn, the branches and leaves on the south side of fruit trees are dense and bear more fruits, especially apples, red dates, persimmons, hawthorn, lychees and oranges. The side facing south is dyed first.

The ant nests near trees and shrubs are always in the south of trees and shrubs.

Moss growing on stones likes humidity and is not resistant to sunlight, so moss usually grows in the north of stones.

The leaves of Mongolian chrysanthemum and wild lettuce on grasslands are all pointing north and south.

In the mountains and hills of northern China, dense arbor forests mostly grow on shady slopes. Shrubbery mostly grows on the sunny slope. This is because the soil moisture on the shady slope evaporates slowly and the soil and water conservation is good, so the vegetation recovery is faster than that on the sunny slope, and it is easy to form forests. In addition, as far as the habits of trees are concerned, fir and spruce grow well on the northern slope, while Pinus massoniana, Pinus armandii, birch and poplar mostly grow on the southern slope.

In spring, the snow melts first to the south and then to the north. Most of them are gentle north shore and steep south shore.

In addition, most temples, pagodas and ordinary houses face south. The doors of Islamic mosques face east (worshippers face west).

At night, Polaris is usually used to determine the direction. To find Polaris, we must first find the constellation Ursa Major (commonly known as the Big Dipper) because it always keeps a certain positional relationship with the Polaris and keeps spinning. When we find the Big Dipper, we will find it. Extending in the direction of the spoon mouth, about five times the interval between stars A and B, there is a brighter star, namely Polaris.

In the area south of 4 degrees north latitude, the Big Dipper often turns below the horizon, especially at dusk in winter, and it is often invisible. At this time, we should look for Polaris according to the constellation Perseus opposite to the Big Dipper. The constellation Perseus is formed by five stars with the same brightness as the Big Dipper. About twice the width of the whole gap, you can find Polaris.

In the area south of 23 degrees north latitude, you can use the Southern Cross constellation to determine the direction in the first half of the year. The Southern Cross constellation is mainly composed of four bright stars, which are diagonally connected to form a cross. It extends downward along the connecting line between the two stars A and B, and is due south at about four and a half times the distance between the two stars.

At night, you can also use the moon to determine the direction. The moon rises and falls regularly. Every day is 48-5 minutes later than the day before. For example, the moon rises in the east at 18: on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar. By the twentieth day of the lunar calendar, it rises about 4 hours later and appears in the eastern sky at about 22: . The moon phase changes regularly. Before the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar, the bright part of the moon is on the right, and after the fifteenth day, the bright part of the moon is on the left. The second half of the month is called the "last quarter moon". Every month, the moon rises and falls according to the above two laws. The following table can be used to determine the orientation of the moon.

In addition, according to the law that the moon turns from east to west for about 12 hours, with an average rotation of about 15 degrees per hour, combined with the moon phase, position and observation time at that time, the direction can be roughly determined. For example, at 1 o'clock in the evening, you can see the night sky. At this time, from 1: to 6: = 4: , that is, 4 hours have passed, and the moon has rotated 15× 4 = 6 during this period. Therefore, if the position of the moon at this time is deflected to the left (east) by 6 degrees, it is due south. < P > In nature, the wind can also help us to know the direction. For example, wooden columns and frames, the windward surface is dark and easy to rot, while cliffs and cliffs are easy to rot. This is especially important in desert areas. < P > Wind is an important factor in shaping the surface morphology of desert land, and crescent dunes and dune chains are the main factors in single wind direction areas. The windward side of dunes and dunes has a gentle slope. The leeward side has a steep slope. In northwest China, due to the prevailing northwest wind, sand dunes generally form northwest to southeast. The northwest slope of sand dunes is small, the sand is hard < P >, and the southeast slope is large, and the sand is soft. Under the action of northwest wind, plants in desert areas, such as butter grass, red willow, Haloxylon ammodendron and camel thorn, are inclined to southeast. The door of Mongolian yurts usually faces the leeward southeast. The head is big and the tail is small, and the direction pointed by the head is the northwest.

The above is the general feature of desert areas. The wind direction also varies with different regions and seasons. Therefore, according to the characteristics of wind direction, you should refer to the military geography at ordinary times to understand the prevailing wind direction in the local four seasons, so as to get a correct judgment. It should also be noted that pyramid-shaped sand dunes will appear in areas with various wind directions and similar winds, and it is more complicated to judge the direction in this area. Reference should be made to the comprehensive discrimination between the sun, the moon and the stars.

It is worth mentioning that people are familiar with the saying that "independent trees usually have dense branches and leaves in the south and sparse branches and leaves in the north" and "the annual rings of independent tree stumps are usually small in the north and large in the south", but in practice they are more complicated. In 1945, After systematic observation, M. Beria Koff, a former Soviet, pointed out: "You can't judge the direction by the branches and leaves of trees and annual rings. The leaves are usually not in the south, but on the side of free space. As far as independent trees are concerned, besides sunlight, wind and other factors also have great influence, so it is often unreliable to judge the direction. Similarly, even the annual rings of independent trees are not necessarily wide in the south; It is not only the sun, but also the wind that affects the width of annual rings. In addition, the width of tree rings varies vertically, and different results will be obtained when trees are cut off at different heights. "According to field observation, Beria Kefu's view is reasonable. For example, the independent trees in Helan Mountain Valley in Ningxia are influenced by the westerly wind all the year round, and all their branches and leaves face the east, not the south.

When judging the orientation by using the characteristics of nature, we should pay special attention to the specific situation and never apply it mechanically. When identifying the direction, We must pay attention to the comprehensive application of various methods, which complement and verify each other. China is a vast country, and the natural conditions in different regions are quite different. On the basis of mastering the same laws, we should also pay attention to the special laws in various regions in order to get a correct judgment.

What to do after losing our way

When traveling in the wild, the original road disappeared, or the route was not determined from the beginning, and the result could not be found. This is disorientation.

When you find yourself disoriented, don't panic and change measures. You should immediately stop and calmly recall the road you have taken, try to reorient yourself according to all possible signs, and then look for the road. The most reliable way is to "get lost", follow your own footsteps and return to the original starting point, and don't blindly bump. Returning to the original route sometimes requires a lot of determination, especially when you have climbed the mountains. It takes more courage and perseverance to go back the hard way than to go forward.

When you find that you are lost, you should climb high and look far, and judge where you should go, especially in mountainous areas. You should climb the nearby big ridge and observe first, and then decide whether to continue climbing or going down. Usually, you should go in the low-lying direction, so it is easy to encounter water sources. It is safest to walk along the river, which is especially important in forests (jungles). Because roads and residential areas are often built by the water and the river.

In mountainous areas, if the direction of the mountains is clear and the gradient of the ridges is gentle, you can walk along the ridges. Because the horizons of the ridges are wide, it is easy to observe the road conditions and determine the location. The ridges also have a certain guiding role. As long as you walk along the ridges, you can usually achieve a certain goal.

In vast and flat deserts, Gobi Desert or boundless areas,