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There's a practical reason for the map to be north facing. If you use a compass, the needle points north. So, if you then orient your self and your map facing t
by jillesvangurp 1y ago
There's a practical reason for the map to be north facing. If you use a compass, the needle points north. So, if you then orient your self and your map facing the same direction, it's easy to figure out headings and bearings because they'll match what you see on the compass. Even in the southern hemisphere, compass needles still point north. So, orienting maps north seems like a pragmatic thing to do.
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- el_oni 1y agoThey also point south. If you changed which end of the needle was painted red it would be just as useful for orienting to the south as existing compasses are for facing north
- helsinkiandrew 1y agoThe needle is pointing to the magnetic south, which is near our geographic north.
- WA 1y agoErr, no? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_magnetic_pole https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_magnetic_pole https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass
- onraglanroad 1y agoFrom your own first link: "Because opposite poles attract, Earth's south magnetic pole is physically actually a magnetic north pole"
- WA 1y agoOk I guess I misread: magnetic south pole != south magnetic pole. Got it.
- helsinkiandrew 1y agoThat wikipedia wording is very confusing, they mean: "Earth’s magnetic pole near the geographic South Pole is actually a magnetic north pole."