FIRST CLASS SCOUT

1. Demonstrate how to find directions during the day and at - night without using a compass.

FINDING DIRECTIONS USING THE STARS

For thousands of years, people have imagined they could see groups of stars forming the shapes of warriors, animals, maidens, and monsters. Many of the names they gave these constellations are still with us today. You can use a star chart-a map of the heavens-to find them in the night sky. With the stars to guide them, sailors of old crossed the seas, and travelers made their way to distant lands. You can use the stars to find directions at night, too. Here's how:

North Star Method

Ursa Major is the ancient name for a constellation known as the Great Bear. It contains the stars that form the Big Dipper. Four bright stars form the dipper's bowl, and three stars make up the handle. Look closely and you might see that the middle star in the Big Dipper's handle is really two stars, Mizar and Alcor. Some Native Americans thought of the larger star as a horse, the smaller as a rider. To find the North Star, train your eyes on the pointer stars of the Big Dipper-the two stars farthest from the handle. Imagine a line connecting them and extending upward to a point about five times the span between the two pointers. You should see the North Star at that point. The Earth's North Pole lies directly under the North Star. Push a two-loot-long slick into the ground. Place a shorter slick Push a two-loot-long slick into the ground. Place a shorter slick whan you sight over the Ups of both sticks you can see the North Star. A straight line scratched helwoun the sticks is a he north- south line.