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Offline Orbisect-64

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Compasses, and Needles, and North, OH MY!
« on: June 26, 2015, 09:35:33 PM »
Were the earth round...

Using a compass at the south pole, or south of the equator, the needle would DIP DOWN, attempting to point to the north. The needle would actually want to point through the planet.

In a spherical compass the inner circle freely floats around in ALL directions—it can even float upside down (especially if you remove the bottom weight).

If earth were a sphere, holding such a compass at the south pole or south of the equator, north would always point to the earth, because north would be on the other side of the planet.

http://img.dxcdn.com/productimages/sku_1336_1.jpg

Yet as we know, all compass needles point straight ahead, and do not dip, so long as the compass is held level to the ground.


—Rx
PRONOIA: “The delusional belief that the world is set up to benefit people … The confident and assumed trust that despite years of lies and oppression, government is secretly conspiring in your favor.”

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Offline markjo

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Re: Compasses, and Needles, and North, OH MY!
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2015, 03:36:08 AM »
If earth were a sphere, holding such a compass at the south pole or south of the equator, north would always point to the earth, because north would be on the other side of the planet.

http://img.dxcdn.com/productimages/sku_1336_1.jpg

Yet as we know, all compass needles point straight ahead, and do not dip, so long as the compass is held level to the ground.


—Rx
Have you ever held a compass near either of the magnetic poles to personally test your assertion?
Abandon hope all ye who press enter here.

Science is what happens when preconception meets verification.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. -- Charles Darwin

If you can't demonstrate it, then you shouldn't believe it.

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Offline Pete Svarrior

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Re: Compasses, and Needles, and North, OH MY!
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2015, 03:40:31 AM »
Have you ever held a compass near either of the magnetic poles to personally test your assertion?
Near enough to warrant a 45-degree dip, yes.
Read the FAQ before asking your question - chances are we already addressed it.
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If we are not speculating then we must assume