True South

[keppar (Graham)]

I thought this question would be good here.
What direction is True South ,West or East of Magnetic South (approx 12 degrees) ?
Thanks Kepp

[iceman (Mike)]

It depends where you live

Where do you live?

[Adelain]

This is a free program (Magvar)for finding the amount of variation anywhere in the world.
Is this what you need?
Adrian


http://www.pangolin.co.nz/free_stuff.php

[acropolite (Phil)]

Easier still, look up solar noon as per this thread, and at solar noon use a vertical stick and it's shadow to determine true north/south. It's a lot better than using magnetic as compasses can vary depending on the proximity of any metal surfaces and also due to magnetic variations within your local area.

[keppar (Graham)]

Well I just like to know if true south is west or east of magnetic south P,S I live in australia

[erick (Eric)]

Depends on where in Australia. Perth is opposite to the east coast.

See the general map on this page:-

http://media.photobucket.com/image/m...ination295.jpg

[keppar (Graham)]

Sry bout that I live in Albury NSW

[erick (Eric)]

Try this site:-

http://www.magnetic-declination.com/

[Kal (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by acropolite

Easier still, look up solar noon as per this thread, and at solar noon use a vertical stick and it's shadow to determine true north/south. It's a lot better than using magnetic as compasses can vary depending on the proximity of any metal surfaces and also due to magnetic variations within your local area.

After seeing my friend in Sydney have the compass point to around 25 degrees west of true south (due to power lines / metal or whatever) I would concur with the solar noon method. It is very accurate and not disturbed by any unseen forces.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by erick

Try this site:-

http://www.magnetic-declination.com/

Fantastic resource Erick,

found the important ones LOL

Duckadang Lions Club Camp Queensland Astrofest:
Latitude: 26° 44' 58.6" S
Longitude: 152° 14' 25.8" E
Magnetic declination: 10° 43' EAST
Declination is POSITIVE

South Pacific Star Party Ilford NSW:
Latitude: 33° 0' 49" S
Longitude: 149° 46' 49.9" E
Magnetic declination: 11° 52' EAST
Declination is POSITIVE

Lostock Scout Camp:
Latitude: 32° 18' 49.8" S
Longitude: 151° 25' 38.3" E
Magnetic declination: 12° 10' EAST
Declination is POSITIVE

[erick (Eric)]

Yes, isn't it a beauty! Found it in the Google search. I was looking for another Australian one I couldn't remember - but this is much better. I think it is missing altitude only for the data we regularly want!

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Originally Posted by keppar

Well I just like to know if true south is west or east of magnetic south P,S I live in australia

To answer you directly, Magnetic Declination in Albury is (at the time of writing this) about 12 degrees East according to the links above. This means that Magnetic North is 12deg east of True North, and Mag Sth is 12deg west of True South.

If you're setting up your mount and have a compass, you should be pointing the south mark on your mount 12 deg east of the compass needle's south.

[keppar (Graham)]

thanks all

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

There is an article for a jig I made on the ATM group of the site, you might like to make one...take you a few minutes and works pretty well.

[mdgodf (Mark)]

Geoscience Australia has a lot info that's usefull for us astronomers http://www.ga.gov.au/geodesy/astro/definiti.jsp#zd the left hand menu has lots of links to pages to caluculate a lot of events. This page provides magnetic declination calculation for lat and long http://www.ga.gov.au/oracle/geomag/agrfform.jsp