> as an approximate compass, if it has an hour hand (bisect the angle between the hour hand and noon, that's north or south, depending on your latitude, unless

> as an approximate compass, if it has an hour hand (bisect the angle between the hour hand and noon, that's north or south, depending on your latitude, unless you're in the tropics where this doesn't work) I've read and sort of understood and forgotten the technique before - but that's certainly not it: you could determine your north that way and spin around and it wouldn't change.