Determining Your Latitude in the Northern Hemisphere

There are two ways to easily determine your latitude in the Northern Hemisphere.The first way is to use the North Star or Polestar, Polaris. This is the star to the north that does not move diurnally, because it is more or less directly over the North Celestial Pole. The diagram to the left shows geometrically why the angle the polestar makes to your northern horizon is your latitude.You can crudely measure this by devising a makeshift sextant from a simple protractor and a plumb line.You can also determine your latitude by observing the Sun's celestial path at sunset. It is always the same path. The angle made between the Sun's celestial path, the point of impingement on the westerly horizon, and the vertical up from that point, the Sunset Angle, is your latitude.This way of determining your latitude is most suitable on the Vernal Equinox or Autumnal Equinox Days, because on those days, you know that the Sun's impingement point is cardinal west.