# Gallipoli and the Watch
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 10, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508 "2004-03-10T16:47:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/1 "2004-03-10T16:47:51Z")
I just saw the movie Gallipoli. Fantastic film with a great cast and a shocking ending. Well worth checking it out. There was, however, a small scene in the desert where one character uses his wristwatch to find North. Can anyone tell me how he does this? Thank you!
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/2 "2004-03-10T16:50:14Z")
I think it is a pocket watch and I don’t remember but he explains how he does it as he is doing it. Rewind it and watch it again.
Oh and it’s one of my favorite movies.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/3 "2004-03-10T17:11:52Z")
Just a guess, but perhaps he was noting the time of day, then checking the location of the sun overhead and figuring from there.
I’ve seen the movie a couple times and always seem to sort of lose interest after a while, then catching the ending. I have almost no recallection of the first 1/2 of the film!
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### Author:  [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/4 "2004-03-10T17:13:34Z")
Saw it on cable ☹
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### Author:  [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/5 "2004-03-10T17:27:56Z")
Here’s how you can tell which way is north using a watch and the sun:
[http://www.kyes-world.com/sunwatch1.htm](http://www.kyes-world.com/sunwatch1.htm)
Although I’m not sure if you would have to reverse this when you are in the Southern Hemisphere, as the characters are in the beginning of the movie.
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### Author:  [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/6 "2004-03-10T17:29:45Z")
According to Ask Jeeves:
> [@](#):
>
> You can find the direction of true north by using your watch. If daylight time is in effect, first set your wacth back on standard time. Place your watch on something flat with the hour hand pointing to the sun. True south is mid-way between the hour hand and the Figure 12. True north is directly opposite.
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### Author:  [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/7 "2004-03-10T18:22:47Z")
Using a watch as a compass was on the cover of a science tricks book I had as a kid that was written by Martin Gardner.
The preceding posts are correct.
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### Author:  [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/8 "2004-03-10T18:40:51Z")
Southern Hemisphere:
Aim 12 at the sun. North is 1/2 way between 12 and the hour hand.
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/9 "2004-03-10T19:57:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> You can find the direction of true north by using your watch. If daylight time is in effect, first set your wacth back on standard time. Place your watch on something flat with the hour hand pointing to the sun. True south is mid-way between the hour hand and the Figure 12. True north is directly opposite.
So I assume that if the son is directly overhead, this won’t work…? (until later, that is)
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### Author:  [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallipoli-and-the-watch/233508/10 "2004-03-10T20:13:34Z")
And apropos of nothing in particular, if you know that it’s after noon, hold a stick perpendicular to the ground and look for a shadow coming off it. The shadow points east, so north is 90 degrees left of the shadow.
I learned that off an episode of _Shazam!_ I’m truly ashamed.