How to find Polaris in Taklimakan Desert?

1. Correctly judging the direction Walking in the vast desert, it is difficult to find a direction reference because of the open field of vision, and it is generally impossible for people to walk in a straight line. Therefore, judging the direction correctly in the desert March is the premise of desert exploration.

Determine the direction with an instrument

Using compass and map to mark the direction is a common method in early desert exploration. This method first needs to know its own position, calibrate the position and orientation of the target area according to the map, and then drive according to the direction indicated by the compass. Because it is impossible to travel in a straight line in the desert, it is necessary to constantly correct the position when using this method, otherwise it is difficult to achieve the predetermined goal. In the long-distance desert exploration and crossing, it is very difficult to reach the destination accurately or find precast supplies in the vast sand sea. At the end of 1980s, the popularity of personal satellite navigation system (GPS) among the people reduced the possibility of getting lost in the desert to a minimum. At present, almost all desert explorations use GPS navigation.

Use natural features to determine direction

(1) Use Polaris to determine the position. Polaris is a bright star in the sky due north. If you find Polaris at night, you will find true north. Polaris is the A star of Ursa minor, and Ursa major (mainly the Big Dipper) and Empress Fairy are located on both sides of Polaris. China is located in the northern hemisphere, and Polaris can be seen at night all year round.

Using the sun to determine the direction is the most reliable "compass". The sun moves from east to west and the shadow moves from west to east. For example, in the desert in western China, in the morning, the sun rises in the east, and the shadows of all objects fall to the west. At noon, the sun is due to the south and the shadow points to the north. In the afternoon, the sun is due to the west and the shadow points to the east. Uygur camel workers who have lived around the Taklimakan desert for generations have walked in the desert in this way and will never get lost. Of course, there are some more accurate methods to determine the direction, such as "immediate" method and watch judgment method, which are very useful in desert exploration (please refer to page 65 of "Outdoor Exploration" in 2002).

(3) The direction of sand dunes is an important factor to judge the wind direction. In the northwest of China, due to the prevailing northwest wind, sand dunes generally form southeast direction, and the northwest direction of sand dunes is windward, with small slope and hard sand. Southeast leeward, steep slope, soft sand. In addition, plants in the desert, such as willow, Haloxylon ammodendron and camel thorn, are inclined to the southeast. However, it should be noted here that the above are the general characteristics of desert areas. The wind direction in different areas is different, and the direction of sand dunes is also different. To make a correct judgment, we must master the meteorology and landform of the target area in advance.