How To Navigate Using The Sun, Moon and The Stars – Celestial Navigation 101
Written by John Wren|
One of the most common occurrences is when a person ventures into the wilderness for a day of recreation. They inadvertently loses their way due to their wondering off of a designated trail to explore an interesting feature of the landscape but, then lacks the navigational skills
Key takeaways
- Consequently, simply by noting whether or not you are facing the Sun and then noting the direction that the Sun is traveling in the sky, you can easily determine the Cardinal Directions of North, South, East, and West.
- Therefore, to find Polaris, you first need to locate the Big Dipper constellation and then locate the two stars that form the outer edge of the cup (the two stars located farthest from the handle).
- Next, you need to draw an imaginary line through these two stars to last star in the handle of the Little Dipper.
Celestial navigation you will still use is a lamp you can find, a watch you already set, and a backup to a map — not a catalog “sun moon stars 101” you mailed because a listing said wilderness. The short answer: learn one sun trick and the North Star, carry a Streamlight ProTac, and treat the sky as a last door after the map and the trail.
Short version. Hiking alone is the plan page. A PLB if the other job is already rescue. Pair with a handheld. Check live prices.
Anyone can get turned around. The useful version is still: stop, lamp, map if you have one, then the sky. This is not a sextant class. This is a lamp, a headlamp, a habit.
Stop. A hurry under stars is a bigger circle.
Do: sit, water, a lamp. Don’t: a night crash through brush because a ridge looked familiar. First aid. Leave some gas. Tell someone the trailhead before you need the sky.
A handheld you can still find in a pocket
The Streamlight ProTac is the live handheld we named. Spare cells. Check live prices.
The Petzl Tikka is the live headlamp we named if both hands are already the map. Check live prices.
Do: red if a partner is already looking at the same page. Don’t: a phone as the only beam. Why a handheld. A headlamp.
The sun is a crude west. The North Star is a crude north.
Shadow-stick at noon is a classroom trick. In the field: the sun still rises east-ish and sets west-ish. Polaris sits over true north if you can still see the Dipper. A moon can lie. Clouds win. Stargazing if the other night is already a sit. Tracks if the walk is already daylight.
A GPS watch you own still wants a map. A tactical watch. Trackers without fees if the other job is already a PLB.
| Want | Honest tool |
|---|---|
| Night on a trail | ProTac, Tikka, stop, then the sky |
| Rescue | A PLB, registered |
| A pretty night | The stargazing page |
| A sextant | A class, not this page |
The sky is a last door. Check live prices.
Skip the app that says it replaces a map
A dead phone is a thin flashlight. Hike kit. A survival kit. Write the trail. Then walk.
A lamp, a stop, then the sky
That is celestial as a field habit. Check live prices. Come home with the same trailhead you named, not a circle you walked until dawn.
Guests will try to write a sextant into a night hike
Say the rule: stop, lamp, then the sky as a last door. If the answer is a navy class and a laugh, sit. Celestial. Hiking alone.
The ProTac we named still wants spare cells. Check live prices. A handheld. A headlamp.
Do: sit. Don’t: a night crash. First aid. A PLB.
Stargazing if the other night is already a sit without being lost.
Clouds win. A hurry under overcast is a bigger circle.
A rainy plan B. Leave some gas. Stay put if you are lost.
The Tikka we named. Check live prices. Celestial. Hike kit.
A survival kit. A survival filter. Until morning you still have to live.
Kids outside. A kid hike at dusk is a written hour.
A dead phone is a thin flashlight
Trackers without fees. A tactical smartwatch. A breadcrumb is not a plan.
The ProTac we named. Check live prices. A handheld.
Life-saving skills. Tell someone the trailhead before you need the sky.
A mood hour. Nature days. A stop is enough.
The sun is crude. Polaris is crude. A moon can lie.
Celestial. Stargazing. Do not pretend a phone app replaces a map.
Do: one sun trick at the house. Don’t: a first canyon as the class. Hiking and health.
An adventurer day. Family days. A lamp and a sit is enough.
UV still applies at altitude. A brim you already own.
Spare cells in the same pocket. Then next Thursday.
Check live prices. Celestial. A headlamp.
Last line: stop, lamp, then the sky. A PLB. Hiking alone.
Inspect the kit thinking scales to a flashlight. Dry it.
Come home on the same trail you named. Leave some gas. Hike kit. That is celestial as a habit.
Polaris is a crude north if you can still see the Dipper.
Clouds win. A moon can lie. Celestial. Stargazing.
The Tikka we named if both hands are already a map. Check live prices. A headlamp. A handheld.
Do: one sun trick at the house. Don’t: a first canyon as the class. Hiking and health. Hike kit.
A PLB. Rescue is a doorbell. The sky is orientation.
A hurry under stars is a bigger circle. Sit.
Water. Lamp. Then decide. Celestial. First aid.
The ProTac we named. Spare cells. Check live prices. A handheld.
A survival kit. A survival filter. A 72-hour kit. Until morning you still have to live.
Kids outside. A dusk hike with a child is a written hour, not a sky class.
The sky does not replace a map you did not bring.
Trail gear. Hiking alone. Trackers without fees.
A GPS watch you own still wants a trail you named. A tactical smartwatch. Check live prices on the ProTac.
Life-saving skills. Tell someone the trailhead before you need the sky.
Leave some gas. A rainy plan B. Pavement is allowed.
Skip the app that says it replaces a map.
A dead phone is a thin flashlight. Celestial. A handheld.
The Tikka we named. Check live prices. A headlamp. Stargazing.
Nature days. An adventurer day. A stop is enough.
UV at altitude. A brim you already own.
Spare cells in the same pocket every time.
Check live prices. Celestial. Inspect the kit.
Last line: stop, lamp, then the sky. A PLB. Hiking alone.
A mood hour. Family days. A handheld you can find is enough.
Come home on the same trail you named. Leave some gas. Hike kit. That is the habit.
The sun is crude east-west. It is not a compass you can brag about.
Shadow-stick at noon is a classroom. In the field the sun still rises east-ish. Celestial. Stargazing.
The ProTac we named. Spare cells. Check live prices. A handheld. A headlamp.
Do: sit. Don’t: a night crash because a ridge looked familiar. Hiking alone. First aid.
A PLB. Rescue is a doorbell. The sky is a last door.
Clouds win. Stay put if you are lost.
A hurry under overcast is a bigger circle. Celestial. A rainy plan B. Leave some gas.
The Tikka we named. Check live prices. A headlamp. A survival kit. A survival filter.
A 72-hour kit. Until morning you still have to live. A canteen. Hike kit.
Kids outside. A dusk hike with a child is a written hour, not a sky class.
A sextant is a navy class. This page is a lamp and a stop.
Celestial. Stargazing. Do not pretend a phone app replaces a map.
Check live prices on the ProTac. A handheld. Trackers without fees. A tactical smartwatch.
Life-saving skills. Tell someone the trailhead before you need the sky. Hiking alone.
A mood hour. Nature days. A stop is enough.
Altitude is a mirror. A brim you already own.
UV. Celestial. Hiking and health.
The Tikka we named. Check live prices. A headlamp. Trail gear.
An adventurer day. Family days. A handheld you can find is enough.
Inspect the kit. Dry the lamp. Spare cells in the same pocket.
Stop, lamp, then the sky. Same card every time.
Check live prices. Celestial. A PLB. Hiking alone.
Last line: the sky is a last door after the map. A handheld. A survival kit.
Nature days. An adventurer day. A sit is enough.
Come home on the same trail you named. Leave some gas. Hike kit. That is the habit.
A noon shadow is a classroom. A night hurry is a bigger circle.
Celestial. Stargazing. Sit. Water. Lamp. Then the sky as a last door.
The ProTac we named. Spare cells. Check live prices. A handheld. A headlamp. Hiking alone.
Do: stop. Don’t: a crash through brush. First aid. A PLB. A survival kit.
Kids outside. A dusk hike with a child is a written hour. Leave some gas.
Polaris is crude north if you can see the Dipper. Clouds win.
Celestial. Stargazing. A moon can lie. A rainy plan B.
The Tikka we named. Check live prices. A headlamp. A survival filter. A 72-hour kit.
Trackers without fees. A tactical smartwatch. A breadcrumb is not a plan. Hike kit.
Life-saving skills. Tell someone the trailhead before you need the sky. Hiking alone.
A sextant is a navy class. This page is a lamp you can find.
Celestial. Skip the app that says it replaces a map. A handheld. Trail gear.
Check live prices on the ProTac. A PLB. A survival kit. A canteen.
UV. Hiking and health. Altitude is a mirror. A mood hour.
Nature days. An adventurer day. A stop is enough. Family days.
A dead phone is a thin flashlight. Carry a handheld.
Celestial. A handheld. Trackers without fees.
The Tikka we named. Check live prices. A headlamp. Hiking alone.
Inspect the kit. Spare cells in the same pocket. Leave some gas. A rainy plan B.
Life-saving skills. Pavement is allowed. That is a successful Saturday.
Stop, lamp, then the sky. Same card every time.
Check live prices. Celestial. A PLB. Hiking alone. A handheld.
Last line: the sky is a last door after the map. A survival kit. Stargazing.
Nature days. An adventurer day. A sit is enough.
Come home on the same trail you named. Leave some gas. Hike kit. That is the habit.
Also in the magazine
Keep going with hiking alone, a PLB, a handheld, and stargazing. Check live prices.
Frequently asked questions
Can I navigate with just the sun and stars?
Treat the sky as a last door after a map and a stop. The sun is crude east-west. Polaris is crude north if you can see it. Clouds win.
What lamp?
Streamlight ProTac we named, spare cells. Petzl Tikka if both hands are already the map.
Do I need a sextant?
No. This page is a field habit, not a navy class.
Phone GPS?
A dead phone is a thin flashlight. Carry a handheld. Tell someone the trailhead.
PLB or stars?
A registered PLB is rescue. The sky is orientation. Do not mix the jobs.
What if it is cloudy?
Stop. Lamp. Stay put if you are lost. A hurry under overcast is a bigger circle.