[neB]

It makes good sense for star charts and other astro maps to have East and West swapped, but why is North always at the top?

Now, I don't turn my roadmaps around so I'm always travelling "up", but just about everytime I get a starchart (or moon map) out I face North, lift my chart skyward, only to find North now pointing South and have to turn the chart "upside-down" or chuck an about-face.

Am I the only one who does this!

Why is it so?

I do remember reading somewhere that NASA (or US DoD) forced this standard for moon maps during the Apollo program - but for star charts!

P.S. I had my old star-chart out last night - I got it in 1983 while studying first year Astronomy at Qld Uni - and noticed the price tag - $3.95.