Earth Polar Switch in Year 2012

[+Night Stalker]

When the pole shift comes there will be a great uproar in the earth's core. Plates will shift, massive earthquakes, volcanic eruption, dogs and cats sleeping together sort of thing. The lose of caches will be unprecedented, as they will be swallowed by the earth and covered in lava. Those that remain will be at the wrong coordinates. We need to stock up now on cache containers so that we can rebuild

 

Obviously this can't happen because buried caches are against the rules.

 

[+klossner]

Some easily excited people misread the article. It's the sun's, not the earth's, magnetic poles that NASA predicts will flip in 2012:

http://www.gvnr.com/74/3.htm

No big deal, it happens every eleven years.

[+tabulator32]

I hope the northern lights come here!

Here's a good place to keep an eye on for where they are: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

 

So, if I am reading it correctly, the Northern lights are only visible like one half of one percent of the time.

 

Are there any predictors for when they will be strongest nd most prominent in the sky for observers?

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I hope the northern lights come here!

Here's a good place to keep an eye on for where they are: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

So, if I am reading it correctly, the Northern lights are only visible like one half of one percent of the time.

 

Are there any predictors for when they will be strongest nd most prominent in the sky for observers?

Yes, it is quite well-known that aurora borealis, aka Northern Lights, are caused by geomagnetic storms, which are almost always triggered by solar storms. So, keeping an eye on the geomagnetic index or the solar flare index, or any of hte other solar activity indexes, will often give you a good idea of when to look for aurora borealis.

 

And, when the aurora borealis is VERY active, it is often possible to see it from locations many hundreds of miles or even a thousand miles farther to the south than the area in which they are normally seen. In fact, it is sometimes seen in southern NY state and in NJ, and more rarely, as far south as North Carolina during really massive high-altitude displays. And, they have even been reported as visible a few times from southern US states such as Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

 

Incidentally, the same geomagnetically-induced currents (from geomagnetic storms buffeting the magnetosphere) that tend to create the aurora borealis can also play havoc with long-distance AC power lines (i.e., the AC power distribution system), with long-distance above-ground phone lines and underground cables, and, in the good old days of wire-based telegraph communication, during a really strong aurora borealis, there was no need to use DC batteries to power the telegraph lines, as the induced DC current from the intense geomagnetic activity during aurora borealis would power the telegraph lines much better than did the batteries normally used.

 

By the way, speaking of all this stuff about the earth's magnetic field and magnetism, I just noticed that I have a copy here of a translated book from the 13th century on the phenomena of magnetism, one of the first books ever written in the Western world on magnetism. The translated/reprinted article/booklet is called The Letter of Petrus Peregrinus on the Magnet, originally written in AD 1269. It is a little yellow book; mebbe I will have to offer it someday as an FTF prize for one of my Psycho caches!

Edited December 3, 2007 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

It doesn't matter, as when it happens all our heads will explode anyway.

[+wimseyguy]

Umm I did google it. I see this:

Editing of this article by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled until December 19, 2007 (UTC) because of vandalism regarding the apparent "end of the world".

If you cannot edit this article and you wish to make a change, you can discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or create an account.

[+tabulator32]

I just noticed that I have a copy here of a translated book from the 13th century on the phenomena of magnetism, one of the first books ever written in the Western world on magnetism. The translated/reprinted article/booklet is called The Letter of Petrus Peregrinus on the Magnet, originally written in AD 1269. It is a little yellow book; mebbe I will have to offer it someday as an FTF prize for one of my Psycho caches!

 

Now THAT would make a cool FTF prize!

 

 

I am curious as to what someone from the 13th century would make of magnetism. Did they develop anything useful with it at the time?

[+Sioneva]

I predict that goats will become extinct in 2012, thus leading to THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.

 

Or maybe they'll just be reversed.

[+carleenp]

It doesn't matter, as when it happens all our heads will explode anyway.

 

Not mine. My tinfoil hat and pikachu electric shock ray will protect me. As long as my GPS works, I'll be happy.

[Mushtang]

2012 is nothing to worry about.

 

In 2112 all the planets in the Solar Federation will be taken over by the returning Elder Race of man, and then we're all screwed!

[+EraSeek]

I hope the northern lights come here!

Here's a good place to keep an eye on for where they are: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

 

So, if I am reading it correctly, the Northern lights are only visible like one half of one percent of the time.

 

Are there any predictors for when they will be strongest nd most prominent in the sky for observers?

Take a look at this page: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/Aurora/

[+GSVNoFixedAbode]

the possibility of a polar shift

 

What's the big deal? Shift happens.

[+The Navigatorz]

I understand that with the polar shift, Santa will need to relocate to the South Pole.

 

I can hear it now...

 

" You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen

Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen.

But do you recall, the most famous Penguin of all..."

Edited December 4, 2007 by The Navigatorz

[GeoPirates2007]

It doesn't matter, as when it happens all our heads will explode anyway.

 

Not mine. My tinfoil hat and pikachu electric shock ray will protect me. As long as my GPS works, I'll be happy.

Oh man you are screwed, The tinfoil hats are no longer the accepted means of protection from the end of the world, you need a special armadillo hat.

[+carleenp]

It doesn't matter, as when it happens all our heads will explode anyway.

 

Not mine. My tinfoil hat and pikachu electric shock ray will protect me. As long as my GPS works, I'll be happy.

Oh man you are screwed, The tinfoil hats are no longer the accepted means of protection from the end of the world, you need a special armadillo hat.

 

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to Texas soon. I'll pick up some armadillos while I'm there!

[+steve p]

What's the big deal? Shift happens.

That's great!! LOL

The Navigatorz new Christmas song is funny, also!

[+EraSeek]

Some easily excited people misread the article. It's the sun's, not the earth's, magnetic poles that NASA predicts will flip in 2012:

http://www.gvnr.com/74/3.htm

No big deal, it happens every eleven years.

 

As explained here with photos: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071203.html

[+imajeep]

The Mayan calendar says that the world will end before then, so polarity should be the least of our worries.

 

If for some reason the Mayan calendar is inaccurate, then I will probably buy a Magellan. Flipping the poles might be the secret that will finally make Magellans more accurate than Garmins.

[+Parabola]

I thought on Dec. 21 2012, was the end of the earth's "wabble" cycle. Also on that day we move from the upper to the lower part of the disk in the milky way. Yes the Mayan calender ends on that day but the calender was base on astronomical events. I think the wabble cycle is the reason they ended it there. I'm not sure the offical name for the earths wabble.

 

But yes the garmin 60CSX compass will work just fine. Spin around twice and it's good to go. The magy users out there are just screwed.

[+paleolith]

Great timing on this thread! I'm considering buying a new GPSr, and now I know that I should not bother too much about having a "real" compass.

 

Edward

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

1845 Days...just in case anyone is keeping track.

 

 

 

 

What time zone is it calculated on?? or is it on GMT??

[+Juicepig]

The Mayan calendar says that the world will end before then ..

 

Their calendar technically ends the reign of man (not of the world)

 

All that will happen is that the mayan gods will burst from our stomach and then consume us.

 

Of course they might get a little confused if they try and find us using their compasses..

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

 

All that will happen is that the mayan gods will burst from our stomach and then consume us.

 

 

So THAT'S why my stomach gets bigger every year, and here I thought it was something I ate!

[+KoosKoos]

It doesn't matter, as when it happens all our heads will explode anyway.

 

Not mine. My tinfoil hat and pikachu electric shock ray will protect me. As long as my GPS works, I'll be happy.

Oh man you are screwed, The tinfoil hats are no longer the accepted means of protection from the end of the world, you need a special armadillo hat.

 

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to Texas soon. I'll pick up some armadillos while I'm there!

 

I'll be glad to save a few as I drive down the highway...week-old, dried armadillo is the only way to go! It's extra crispy that way.

[+tabulator32]

What time zone is it calculated on?? or is it on GMT??

 

The gloom and doom websites don't indicate that it will happen at a precise moment, just sometime on that date. I wasn't too worried about the time zone but the countdown timer is set to the Universal time (which I think is the same as GMT, isn't it?)

 

Oh, well...you've got about 1841 days.

 

[+Iowa Tom]

Look on the bright side. Imagine the aurora displays that'll happen at all latitudes! Imagine the increase in cancer as the solar wind pours down through our atmosphere. Cool!

[+EraSeek]

An interesting bit of knowledge:

"In a dipolar field, you have two opposite-polarity quantities ( north and south magnetic poles) located on diametrically opposite geographic hemispheres. For the earth, this is not exactly the case because the north and south magnetic poles are not at geographically opposite sides of the earth. In fact, a line drawn between the actual poles passes about 500-700 miles away from the geometric center of the earth. 'Offset dipole magnetic fields' are the rule, not the exception in the other planets in our solar system. Why this happens is not known.

 

Anyway, the earth has two dominant magnetic poles, and several very weak 'quadrupolar' poles of which there are, at least mathematically, about 8 in number. These poles are far weaker than the dipole field, and measure only weak departures of the local geographic field strength from the basic dipolar North-South field. "

[+piscatore]

When the poles switch, will we be able to have Cristmas in June?

[+Got_4by4]

Sorry if I missed this topic before......... But, What will happen to all the GPS'r and compasses when in year 2012 that the Earth's magnetic field may flip North and South. Will there be a update program issued or just have to deal with the reversal. Thanks bickhart814

I think that is when the Cobra GPSrs will becme accurate

 

Just because YOU bought the cheap one!

[+tabulator32]

When the poles switch, will we be able to have Cristmas in June?

 

We're only switching our magnetic poles, not our relative position to the sun.

 

[+Jonovich]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

 

Time to invest some shares in weather vane production too - be quite a market doing the upgrade to Weather Vane V2.0

 

J

[+tabulator32]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

 

I thought that had to do with the rotation of the earth, not the magnetic poles.

 

In fact, I'm sure it does...since water is not affected by magnetism.

 

Edited December 6, 2007 by tabulator32

[+Jonovich]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

 

I thought that had to do with the rotation of the earth, not the magnetic poles.

 

In fact, I'm sure it does...since water is not affected by magnetism.

 

 

Arse... never mind

 

J

[+coggins]

2012 is the next maximum in solar (sunspot) activity.

 

Check out this figure: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/images/zurich.gif

 

I don't think that has any implications for a reversal of Earth's magnetic polarity, but it sure will be interesting to see how satellite comms are affected.

 

Stay tuned..If you can, that is

 

SEC Navigation Systems GPS Page

[+joranda]

I better get out and really enjoy myself before all the craziness happens!

[+Iowa Tom]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

J

Click me.

[4wheelin_fool]

Nothing will really occur in 2012.

 

The cultural prophet William Joel has predicted the events will transpire some 5 years later in 2017.

 

Seen the lights go out Broadway

I saw the Empire State laid low

And life went on beyond the Palisades

They all bought Cadillacs

And left there long ago

 

They held a concert out in Brooklyn

To watch the island bridges blow

They turned our power down

And drove us underground

But we went right on with the show

 

I've seen the lights go out on Broadway

I saw the ruins at my feet

You know we almost didn't notice it

We'd seen it all the time, on Forty second street

 

They burned the churches down in Harlem

Like in that Spanish civil war

The flames were everywhere

But no one really cared

It always burned up there before

 

I've seen the lights go out on Broadway

I saw the mighty skyline fall

The boats were waiting at the battery

The union went on strike

They never sailed at all

 

They sent a carrier out from Norfolk

And picked the Yankees up for free

They said that Queens could stay

And blew the Bronx away

And sank Manhattan out at sea

 

You know those lights were bright on Broadway

That was so many years ago

Before we all lived here in Florida

Before the Mafia took over Mexico

There are not many who remember

They say a handful still survive

To tell the world about

The way the lights went out

And keep the memory alive

 

 

[Mushtang]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

 

I thought that had to do with the rotation of the earth, not the magnetic poles.

 

In fact, I'm sure it does...since water is not affected by magnetism.

 

The circling of water in a tub, toilet, whirlpool, etc is also not affected by the rotation of the earth. That's a well believed myth.

[+coggins]

In fact, I'm sure it does...since water is not affected by magnetism.

 

Really?

 

Video

[Uberquandary]

Really?

 

Fascinating.

 

What is it again?

Edited December 6, 2007 by Uberquandary

[+admo1972]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

 

I thought that had to do with the rotation of the earth, not the magnetic poles.

 

In fact, I'm sure it does...since water is not affected by magnetism.

 

The circling of water in a tub, toilet, whirlpool, etc is also not affected by the rotation of the earth. That's a well believed myth.

 

I'm glad that at least one other person knows that.

 

Hmm. There's no Dark Side of the Moon (other than the Pink Floyd album. I guess the "back" side of the moon is often referred to as the dark side, but it gets about as much sunlight as the "light" side of the moon. Meh, this isn't really a good one.

[+coggins]

Really?

 

Fascinating.

 

What is it again?

Water suspended in a magnetic field.

Edited December 6, 2007 by coggins

[Uberquandary]

It sounds like something my dad, brother, and husband would get a kick out of...

[+coggins]

It sounds like something my dad, brother, and husband would get a kick out of...

 

Maybe you would care for a frog?

Video

[Mushtang]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

 

I thought that had to do with the rotation of the earth, not the magnetic poles.

 

In fact, I'm sure it does...since water is not affected by magnetism.

 

The circling of water in a tub, toilet, whirlpool, etc is also not affected by the rotation of the earth. That's a well believed myth.

 

I'm glad that at least one other person knows that.

 

Hmm. There's no Dark Side of the Moon (other than the Pink Floyd album. I guess the "back" side of the moon is often referred to as the dark side, but it gets about as much sunlight as the "light" side of the moon. Meh, this isn't really a good one.

Correct, and the new millennium didn't start on Jan 1, 2000. There was still a year to go before it started on Jan 1, 2001.

[+Walt Jabsco]

Armadillos are a natural host for Hansen's Disease. That's leprosy to you common folk. Might want to evaluate the risk/reward benefit of protecting yourself from the end of the world to having body parts drop off.

Edited December 6, 2007 by Walt Jabsco

[+admo1972]

And .999...(the 9's repeating) exactly equals 1, not any less.

[Uberquandary]

Yes, floating frogs I can get excited about!

 

Don't shake the baby!

[+Iowa Tom]

If we can get an idea on date & time for when this will happen, we could fill the bath, pull the plug and it would be cool to watch the whirlpool stop and change direction as the poles switch!

J

Click me.

By click me I meant click on the smiley face.

[+Iowa Tom]

In fact, I'm sure it does...since water is not affected by magnetism.

For all practical purposes this is correct. Water is only weakly diamagnetic. As far as I know the earth's magnetic field is not strong enough to see the effect. Here is a simple way to see it. I have not carefully read all of what they have to say at that website however.