Each Friday, we feature a reader-inspired tip as our Travel Tip of the Day. Today, instead of another tip related to COVID-19 safety or the many travel limitations we’re all facing, we’ve decided to share a really cool navigation tip that you can use just about anywhere (and as always, you can see all the latest COVID-19 news here). It’s a trick to orient yourself with and it comes from reader Jimmy M. in Waltham, MA. Says Jimmy:
“Remember, every satellite dish in the Northern Hemisphere points south. In any city, look up at the buildings to find a dish, look at 2 street signs, you’re oriented.”
How about that! The opposite is true in the Southern Hemisphere: satellite dishes face roughly north. In a good Quora post on the subject, user Ben Brown writes that this is “because the dishes are pointing at satellites in geostationary orbit 22,000 miles above the equator…If you lived in Argentina the satellite dishes would face north. If you lived in Ecuador they would point almost straight up.” Note that you can’t assume that a dish is pointing exactly south (in the Northern Hemisphere) or north (in the Southern Hemisphere), but even as an inexact tool, this is a great trick to orient yourself with if you’ve ever lost your way. In fact, it’s included as one of the BBC’s “Six ways to never get lost in a city again.”
Related:
- A Great, Free, Offline-Ready Navigation App
- This Navigation App Is Great for Long Road Trips
- Mapless: A Minimalist Navigation App That Wants You to Enjoy the Journey
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“…How about that! The opposite is true in the Northern Hemisphere: satellite dishes face roughly north…”
I’m pretty sure this is a typo. I think you meant to write that the opposite is true in the **southern** hemisphere…that is where these dishes will point north.
Thanks! We’re fixing it now.
This article needs an edit, it contradicts itself.
Thanks! We’re fixing it now.
Southern Hemisphere faces north? Is it incorrect in the article?
Thanks! We’re fixing it now.