How do we decide which way is "North" on other planets?

[Ichinisan]

Has anyone mentioned magnetic reversals yet?

What is "magnetic reversal?"

/sarcasm

 

[tranceport]

You are 100% wrong. In fact, you can look at nautical charts because they plot both magnetic and true and show the offset - which changes significantly every year.

This is correct. Typically you have to factor in several years of offset as charts may be a few years old. This is critical.


Just like asking what is north really? You can ask what time is it really?

We have offsets in everything it seems.

 

[Jeff7]

Easy - follow Santa Clause.

that would only get you to the questionnaire at the north poll

Excellent.

...
Edit: actually, reversals can be harmful. :hmm:
Contrary to that image, which depicts a perfect geomagnetic polarity lasting for over 750,000 years, there is one "major" event to report. A reversal occurred a little over 40,000 years ago, which was around 500 years in length with an actual reversed geomagnetic field lasting about 250 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laschamp_event

It suggests field strength during the transitional times was roughly 5% of the current strength. That is certainly not a good thing for living things. If it were to coincide with nasty solar storms, yuck. Especially in this age of sensitive electronics.

So building a house out of N52 neodymium magnets isn't crazy? I knew it!




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_excursion

Some forms of life which are thought to navigate based on magnetic fields may be disrupted, but again it is suggested that these species have survived excursions in the past.

"Well how the hell can we all be lost at the same time?! TOGETHER?!?"




Nature is a violent sociopath.