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Photo by Jason Charles Hill
The moon is a cold, dry orb studded with craters and strewn with rocks and dust. Its gravitational pull on Earth creates and controls the ocean tides, and it has long held humankind in its dreamy clutches. We mark time by watching its cycles and phases, and even use it for simple navigation.
The moon is the Earth’s only satellite. As it circles the Earth, its shape appears to change. Of course, it is not actually changing – this is just how it appears to the human eye, as the moon appears to be different shapes depending on illumination from the sun, and on where the Earth, sun and moon are located in relation to each other. The changing shapes of the moon are called phases. The moon moves through eight phases in a cycle that lasts 29.5 days; the same amount of time it takes for the Earth to move around the sun.
The term ‘waxing’ describes the moon when its illuminated area is increasing. The moon is waxing any time after a new moon and before the full moon.
The term ‘waning’ describes the moon when its illuminated area is decreasing. The moon is waning any time after a full moon and before the new moon.
The term ‘crescent’ is applied to the moon whenever part, but less than half, of its face is illuminated. It sits in the shape of a curved sliver – or crescent, hence the name.
When the moon appears more than half lit but
less than full is a gibbous moon. The word gibbous comes from a root word that means hump-backed, and reflects the shape of the moon at this time.
Navigating by the moon can be a tricky and inexact business, but one quick, simple and easy-to- remember way to get your general bearings is the ‘crescent method’. As its name indicates, this moon navigation method can only really be practiced around the time of a waxing or waning crescent moon. It’s also best done when the moon is high in the sky and not too near the horizon, as the higher the moon is in the sky, the more accurate your reading will be.
To try the method, locate the moon in the sky. Then draw a line in your mind’s eye connecting the points (or horns) of the crescent moon, and then extend this line down to the horizon. In the northern hemisphere, the crescent moon method gives an approximate indication of south, and in the southern hemisphere, it gives an approximate indication of north.
Photo by Emilie Ristevski
Throughout history, the stars that light up our night skies have been watched and studied by astronomers, and featured in many a myth and legend. Learning to recognise and navigate by the stars is an awe-inspiring and ancient science still practised today by sailors, and you can learn the basics.
You can gaze at the sky for five or 10 minutes and nothing much will happen. But if you sped the night up and watched the sky in fast motion, you’d see plenty of action. You’d see the stars moving across the sky as one. The Earth spins from west to east, so everything in the sky comes into view as we spin towards it and leaves our view as we spin away from it.
To get started with star gazing, wait for the next clear night. Then, choose a location away from streetlights, and take 10–15 minutes to let your eyes adjust to the dark.
Star gazers think about stars as individuals, as asterisms and as constellations.
A star is a luminous sphere of plasma (one of the four fundamental states of matter) held together by its own gravity. The brightest stars have been given proper names. The nearest star to the Earth is the sun. Many others – mostly in the Milky Way galaxy – are visible at night.
An asterism is a recognisable pattern of stars grouped together in a connect-the-dots and stick- figure kind of way. The list of asterisms widely accepted in the Western world can be traced back to Greco-Roman astronomer Claudius Ptolemy, who lived around 1800 years ago. One of the best- known is the Big Dipper, or Plough.
A constellation is a grouping of prominent stars into an area of the celestial sphere, like Andromeda, Perseus and Scorpio. There are 88 officially recognised constellations.
Polaris, or the North Star, is the one star in the northern night sky that does not appear to move. It sits directly over the North Pole, so once you’ve found it, you’ll always know where north is.
To find the North Star, find the Big Dipper. This group of seven stars is shaped like a saucepan. Three of the stars are in the handle, and four form the pan itself. Next, imagine a line connecting the two stars that form the outer edge of the pan. Continue this line off to the upper right; the first bright star you come to is Polaris, the North Star.
There is no bright star in the southern sky that can be used to locate due south. Instead, the Southern Cross is used to find the South Celestial Pole.
The Southern Cross is a compact group of bright stars close together in the sky, with two pointer stars always pointing to them from the lower left.
Once you’ve located the Southern Cross, find the two pointers. Then, use your mind’s eye to draw a line perpendicular to the line joining the two pointer stars. The South Celestial Pole is located where that line meets the line formed by the two most widely separated stars in the Southern Cross. From the pole drop a line straight down to the horizon – that’s south.
Photo by Emilie Ristevski
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Welcome to Homecamp. This website is owned and operated by Homecamp and if you purchase from us you are subject to our terms and conditions. You should read these conditions carefully prior to purchase, as placement of an order implies your acceptance of them.
RETURNS
Homecamp wants you to feel completely satisfied with your purchases made online. For any reason an item is not what you expected - the wrong colour, size or you've simply changed your mind - it can be returned for an exchange or full refund.
Please note that an item will only be accepted for exchange or credit note under the following conditions:
• The item is unused, unworn and in brand new condition with packaging intact and the original labels attached.
• A copy of a valid receipt is included with the return.
• The item is returned within 14 days of the receipt date.
Please note that all conditions must be strictly adhered to in regards to returns and exchanges and that exchanges will not be accepted under any conditions if you fail to meet these requirements.
We always inspect our goods to ensure our highest quality standards are met. Many of our products are made from natural products such as wood, canvas and leather. Any variations or marks naturally occurring in these materials are intended. If, however, you receive faulty or incorrect items, we will gladly pay the postage costs for a replacement. If the reason for the return is a ‘change of mind’, then this must be shipped and handled at your own cost.
If you wish to return something, please email [email protected] with your original order number and reason for return.
RETURNS ON SALE ITEMS
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MISPLACED ORDERS
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ORDERING
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AVAILABILITY AND BACK ORDERS
In some instances it may be that an item is listed as in stock when in fact, it is not. If this happens we will contact you within 24 hours to come to an agreement on offering you a refund, placing the item on backorder or replacing with a suitable alternative.
DELIVERIES IN AUSTRALIA
Orders are processed as quickly as possible, typically within 1-3 business days of placing your order. We use Australia Post and Couriers Please for small parcel (less then 15kg) deliveries throughout Australia, with the exception of larger orders such as our tents where we engage the services of a courier delivery service, usually Toll or TNT. Courier and post delivery times vary and we cannot guarantee delivery by a certain date so we recommend you allow plenty of time for your order to reach you, particularly if you live in WA or regional areas. If you need an item urgently, please opt for Express Post at the checkout if this option is not available (i.e. on tents or free delivery over $200) then please email us for a quote ([email protected]).
All delivery costs are normally calculated at the checkout. If you are not at home to accept your delivery, then a card will be left and your parcel will be available for collection from your nearest Australia Post office. The same system applies to all courier deliveries. If you would like the courier to leave your package without signing, please ensure you leave this instruction when you checkout. If you choose to have an order left without a signature, Homecamp is not liable for any missing or damaged items.
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERIES
We use Australia Post, Sendle or Shippit for all deliveries to international destinations. Some items such as tents are not available for international shipping and you can contact us for quote. You should be aware that import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. Please check with your local customs office to find out what these additional costs will be. If you have any questions regarding deliveries in Australia or internationally, please contact us at [email protected]
