For the first time in British mathematical function history , the three North have met at a single place on Din Land . According to the Ordnance Survey of the UK , the intersection will proceed for several years , making its way north ( we ’ll get to that bit ) traveling from Langton Matravers , near Swanage in Dorset , before leaving the UK landmass via Scotland .
lead mass " north " , it turns out , is implausibly vague . There are in fact three Union they could take from : genuine , storage-battery grid , and charismatic . dead on target north is the direction along the surface of the Earth that ends at the geographic ( or on-key ) North Pole . The geographic North Pole is not the same as the magnetic North Pole – the point where the planet ’s magnetic field of operation point vertically downwardly , and that your reach arrow is suck towards . Though they are near each other , magnetic northmoves aroundat around 50 kilometers ( 30 knot ) a year , at its current charge per unit .
So , that ’s two norths , but there is also a third and slightly more complicated north , created by examine to symbolise a three - dimensional earth on a two - dimensional map : power grid north .
The map you are probably familiar with is one free-base on theMercator projection , create by cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569 . It ’s acylindrical mathematical function jutting , in which you place the world into a cylinder and then envision each point of the map onto a corresponding point on the cylinder . Meridians ( imaginary vertical lines going through the Earth from the North to South Pole ) are map out onto perpendicular lines equally spaced apart on the map , and circles of latitude ( imaginary horizontal lines from East to West ) are map onto equally spaced horizontal lines .
The Mercator protrusion is good for navigation because it represents class of constant bearing as straight segments , meaning ships have to course correct for the curvature of the Earth less frequently . However , it also results in optical aberration of sizing and frame .
" On a map projection like the cross Mercator projection used for the British National Grid , the longitude lines curve away from the straight grid logical argument , " ordinance surveyexplained in a blog post .
" The amount of curve alter across the grid expanse , except at one line . A transverse Mercator projection has a ' central meridian ' communication channel where a pick out longitude aligns with a vertical eastings control grid line . For the National Grid this key prime line is 2 ° wolfram or 400,000 m E. "
Now , as magnetic north continues to switch , it has approached this line , and for a brief few days , there will be an conjunction of all three norths over Britain .
" Due to the magnetic north direction being skewed relative to the central meridian and the fact that it is move , " they add , " the triple coalition point will move up the central meridian . "
The convergency point is currently in Langton Matravers , just west of Swanage in southwest England , and will move its way to Poole by Christmas . Before disappearing into the sea presently after July 2026 , the convergence pointedness will travel through Drums and Fraserburgh in Scotland .
