tonybarebones
Well-Known Member
Why 'north' is no longer north, but has moved east
A tiny but significant change has just happened to the way we find our way around the Earth.
For the first time in the UK for at least 220 years, the north on a compass has moved to the east of north on a map.
Variations in the magnetic force of Earth's poles have caused the shift, which at the moment affects only the far south-west of England.
The change is slowly moving across the country, however.
According to the Ordnance Survey, if you currently stand anywhere west of Penzance, including at Land's End, you'll find the north on your compass showing as being to the east of the north on your map.
An Ordnance Survey diagram showing the new alignment of the three norths
An Ordnance Survey diagram showing the new alignment of the three norths
The development has prompted the Ordnance Survey to start overhauling all its maps.
It's added a new icon to its custom made maps, showing the relationship between the different norths (see right).
True north is the geographical direction to the North Pole, magnetic north is what you'll find on your compass, while grid north is what you'll find on your map.
This is the first time magnetic north has been east of grid north in the UK since the Ordnance Survey was formed in 1791.
Thanks to the Earth's poles forever shifting their position, until recently magnetic north lay to the west of grid north.
But now it lies to the east, and soon we'll all have to slightly readjust the way we find our way around.
A tiny but significant change has just happened to the way we find our way around the Earth.
For the first time in the UK for at least 220 years, the north on a compass has moved to the east of north on a map.
Variations in the magnetic force of Earth's poles have caused the shift, which at the moment affects only the far south-west of England.
The change is slowly moving across the country, however.
According to the Ordnance Survey, if you currently stand anywhere west of Penzance, including at Land's End, you'll find the north on your compass showing as being to the east of the north on your map.
An Ordnance Survey diagram showing the new alignment of the three norths
An Ordnance Survey diagram showing the new alignment of the three norths
The development has prompted the Ordnance Survey to start overhauling all its maps.
It's added a new icon to its custom made maps, showing the relationship between the different norths (see right).
True north is the geographical direction to the North Pole, magnetic north is what you'll find on your compass, while grid north is what you'll find on your map.
This is the first time magnetic north has been east of grid north in the UK since the Ordnance Survey was formed in 1791.
Thanks to the Earth's poles forever shifting their position, until recently magnetic north lay to the west of grid north.
But now it lies to the east, and soon we'll all have to slightly readjust the way we find our way around.
