Directions at Night - Two Sticks

On a cloudless night, drive a stick into the ground until the tip of it is at your eye level.  Behind it, plant a taller stick such that the tips of the sticks line up on a bright star, as you look at them.  After a few minutes, the star will appear to have moved (but remember: stars don't move; it's Earth that's rotating). 

If the star seems to move . . .

• up, you are facing east.

• down, you are facing west.

• right, you are facing south.

• left, you are facing north.