It must be plain then that this star is the most important one of all to us, for by its friendly light we can easily tell the points of the compass, though we may be lost in an unknown land or shipwrecked on a strange sea. That is, of course, we can easily find the points of the compass if we have first learned how to find the North Star.
How to Make a Star Finder.—To find the North Star for the first time is a very easy matter if the simple directions given below for making and using a star chart, or star finder, are followed.
Get a smooth pine board, about 16 inches wide, 20 inches long and ⅞ inch thick; make two cleats of wood, each of which is 1 inch wide, 12 inches long and ½ inch thick, and screw these to the board near the ends and on the same side, to prevent the board from warping, as shown in [Fig. 1]. If a drawing board of any size is at hand, it will serve the purpose just as well as a homemade board.
The next thing to do is to obtain a sheet of cardboard about 12 by 16 inches and cover one side of it with a dull black paint; when the paint is thoroughly dry lay it, black side up, on the smooth side of the board.
Fig. 1.—Starboard Showing Cleats.
From another sheet of white cardboard cut out seven stars, about the size and shape shown in [Fig. 2], and cut out another star nearly twice as large, to represent the North Star.
Now place the white stars on the black surface of the cardboard in the positions shown in [Fig. 3], using the smaller stars to form the outline of the Big Dipper and the large star for the North Star.
Fig. 2.—Cardboard Star.