A person stood alone in a desert on a dark night and wanted to reach his village which was situated 5 km east of the point where he was standing. He had no instruments to find the direction but he located the polestar. The most convenient way now to reach his village is to walk in the
Contents8
- Adirection facing the polestar
- Bdirection opposite to the polestar
- Cdirection keeping the polestar to his left
- Ddirection keeping the polestar to his right
Show answer
Answer: (C) direction keeping the polestar to his left
The Pole Star (Polaris/Dhruv Tara) indicates TRUE NORTH.
If the person needs to go EAST:
- Facing the Pole Star = walking North (wrong direction).
- Opposite to Pole Star = walking South (wrong).
- Pole Star to the LEFT = walking East (correct! When you face East, North is on your left).
- Pole Star to the RIGHT = walking West (wrong).
Simple trick: Face North (Pole Star), turn right 90° = East. Now the Pole Star is on your LEFT.
Answer: (c).
Polaris (the Pole Star) is the only star that remains fixed in the northern sky and always indicates true north, making it the most reliable natural navigation tool.
UPSC is testing practical application of astronomical navigation - whether students can translate the theoretical knowledge that Polaris indicates north into actual directional movement on the ground.
Pole Star Navigation Principles
Geography polestar Pole Star direction
Pole Star Navigation: Finding Directions Without Instruments
Pole Star always indicates True North direction
To go East: keep Pole Star on your left side
To go West: keep Pole Star on your right side
Dhruv Tara is the Hindi name for Pole Star
The Pole Star (Polaris) is the most reliable celestial navigation tool because it appears stationary in the night sky, always pointing to True North. This makes it invaluable for finding directions without a compass.
Direction Finding Using Pole Star
Desired Direction | Pole Star Position | Walking Method |
|---|---|---|
North | Face directly towards it | Walk straight at the Pole Star |
South | Keep behind you | Walk away from the Pole Star |
East | Keep on your left side | Face North, turn 90° right |
West | Keep on your right side | Face North, turn 90° left |
Step-by-Step Navigation Method
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**Locate Pole Star**
Find the bright star that doesn't move - it's always in the north`"]
s2["`**Face the Pole Star**
You are now facing **True North**`"]
s3["`**Determine your target direction**
Know whether you need to go North, South, East, or West`"]
s4["`**Turn accordingly**
For East: turn 90° right (Pole Star now on left). For West: turn 90° left (Pole Star now on right)`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4Question Solution
In this PYQ, the person needs to walk 5 km East. Since the Pole Star indicates North, he must keep it on his left side while walking. This ensures he's moving eastward - the correct answer is option C.
Trap: Confusing 'facing the polestar' with going east - facing it means going north, not east
Trap: Mixing up left/right - for eastward movement, Pole Star must be on left, not right
Trap: Forgetting that Pole Star = North, so opposite direction = South (not east or west)
Cardinal Directions & Orientation
Geography east direction
Cardinal Directions: Understanding N-E-S-W Orientation
Four cardinal directions: North, East, South, West (clockwise order)
90° turns: Each cardinal direction is 90° from the next
Memory trick: 'Never Eat Soggy Waffles' for N-E-S-W clockwise
Cardinal Direction System
# Cardinal Directions
## North
- Top of maps
- Pole Star direction
- 0°/360°
## East
- Right side
- Sunrise direction
- 90°
## South
- Bottom of maps
- Opposite to North
- 180°
## West
- Left side
- Sunset direction
- 270°Relative Position Rules
When facing North: East is on your right, West is on your left
When facing East: North is on your left, South is on your right
When facing South: West is on your right, East is on your left
When facing West: South is on your left, North is on your right
Visual Reference
Source: MAPS: DIRECTION, SCALE, LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE — MAPS: DIRECTION, SCALE, LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE · academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu
Trap: Assuming 'right turn from North' means West - it actually means East
Trap: Forgetting that directions are relative - 'left' depends on which way you're facing
Trap: Mixing up sunrise (East) with sunset (West) in direction questions