How should you measure an azimuth using a compass?

Measuring an azimuth with a compass involves aligning the compass accurately to ensure that you can determine the correct direction towards your target. By aligning the compass housing with magnetic north, you establish a baseline reference. After this, you can take a bearing toward the target by rotating the compass until the compass needle aligns with the orienting arrow. This process ensures that you are accurately measuring the angle in degrees from north to your desired direction, thus giving you a precise azimuth.

While other options do involve interesting methods, they do not align with the standard and reliable technique for using a compass effectively. Reading the number of steps towards a target is a distance measurement, not an angular one. Rotating the compass 180 degrees would confuse the direction measurement, while using the sun's position can introduce inaccuracies due to changes in the sun's position throughout the day. Therefore, aligning the compass housing with north and then taking the bearing towards the target is the most reliable method for measuring azimuth.