How do you find true north?

Answer 1

I presume your question is how to convert a compass reading to a map reading. If so read on...

1. Determine if magnetic north points to the east or west of true north in your location. (See magnetic declination)

2. If you think of easterly declinations as always having positive values and

westerly declinations as having negative values - imagine a directed number line where values to the right (East) of 0 (which we will call True North) are positive and numbers to the left (West) are negative.

Now all one need remember is this mnemonic - MTA (Magnetic to True ADD).

Example 1: Magnetic Heading is 23 degrees in an area where East Decl. is 7 degrees. True North = 23 + 7 = 30 degrees

Example 2: Magnetic Heading is 150 degrees in an area where West Decl. is 14 degrees. True North = 150 + (-14) = 136 degrees

Answer 2

It depends on how precise you need to be. At night, you can find Polaris (located off the lip of the Big Dipper or in the handle of the Little Dipper) and that will give you the general direction of true north. To be more precise, you will need to use a magnetic compass and then correct for the effects of magnetic variation. To do this, you'll need a chart that shows variation for the particular area in which you are located. Then you will need to add (if it's east) or subtract (if it's west) the variation for your area to your magnetic compass reading and that will give you true north.

If you are using a topo map it gives it to you, usually. I am at 45 degrees and we add 6 1/2 degrees.

by compass on ur iphone or app or in real life like train employee use

Answer

[Analog watch method of finding north:]

If it's a sunny day in the northern hemisphere north can be found using an analog watch (a watch with hands). If it's daylight savings time, point the hour hand of the watch directly at the sun. If it's five pm the number five on the watch will be pointed at the sun. Midway between the number five and the number twelve will be pointing south, and north will be directly behind you. If it's not daylight savings time, you look at the spot midway between the hour hand and the one o'clock. If the time is noon during daylight savings time then the sun is in the south. The sun is in the south at one pm during standard time.

To find the other two directions, east and west, using the analog watch method, simply remember that east is always to the right of north, west is always left.