Using the Stars

Every day the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. We can use the Sun to help us find our way. Sailors often do this to find their way, or navigate, across the sea. They measure the position of the Sun in the sky at different time of the day. They know where the Sun should be at certain times in certain places, so they can work out where they are.

Bees also find their way by using the Sun. So do some birds, which fly hundreds of kilometres every year in autumn and spring, on their way to and from warmer countries.

At night, both sailors and birds find their way by the stars. They know where different stars, They know where different stars should be in the sky at different times, so they can tell their position just as they can from the Sun in the daytime.