Question: What does a compass show in the Southern Hemisphere?

[Radio_Lady]

Is NORTH still magnetic north as in the Northern Hemisphere?

Someone must know this without googling...

[Radio_Lady]

1. Any Australians with us today?

[EstimatedProphet]

2. Yes

[RogueSpirit]

3. It still reads true

The earths magnetic field flows from positive to negative. With a few minor exceptions, this is consistent across the face of the earth.

[DS1]

4. It shows North, but you have to hold it upside down otherwise

it's pointing the wrong way. Same goes for South America.

Besides, after NATO Resolution 14.02.a, all compasses point to Olive Garden

[mainegreen]

5. On the equator you must hold it vertically.

[DS1]

6. to the left if facing east on the first half of the month, and to the right on the latter half

reverse for facing west

[RogueSpirit]

10. on a side note...

I have known how to use acompass since I was a kid. I recently got a handheld GPS and it really made me nuts in that it determines the compass setting as you move. No matter which way you are turned it will point north is you are facing north. This drives me nuts on my boat.

[billyskank]

7. It points to matcom's ass.

[mainegreen]

12. So what happens if we clone matcom?

Or just his ass anyways?

[krispos42]

8. The needle aways points north

The sun always rises in the east and sets in the west.

The only difference is that the sun and moon are in the northern part of the sky instead of the southern part, like it is here.

In other words, the sun rises in the east and swings northwards while traveling to the west.

[Squatch]

11. Actually, it always points to the magnetic north pole

which is not always north.

[krispos42]

13. Shhh....

Keepin' it simple for the non-geeks! :-)

[leftofthedial]

9. that america sucks

[Squatch]

14. On another note...coriolis force does not affect the direction in which

your toilet bowl flushes in either the northern or southern hemisphere. The coriolis force is so miniscule and acts over such large distances (like hundreds of kilometers) that it doesn't influence how your crapper flushes.

/End Public Service Announcement

[mainegreen]

15. You would not (or maybe you would) believe how many arguments I've gotten into over that.

People swear up and down until their blue in the face that's true. I think 95% of people think that one is true!

[Radio_Lady]

16. Well, count me as one of the 95% who believed it... before today.

Now, there's no reason to go to Australia! :sarcasm:

http://www.snopes.com/science/coriolis.asp

This is only one of many "FALSEHOODS" I used to believe. Snopes.com is such a valuable site!

[conscious evolution]

17. I say the needle points south

It depends on which end of the needle you are looking at.
Don't forget the south magnetic pole.Can't have one without the other.