NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Auroras/compass readings
From: Lisa Fiene
Date: 2004 Oct 17, 14:05 +1000
From: Lisa Fiene
Date: 2004 Oct 17, 14:05 +1000
The northern and southern auroras occur when electrically charged particles from the sun interact with our earth's magnetic field. Just a question, if one were to sail in these latitudes during these episodes of increased solar activity & the subsequent auroras these would create, would it affect the ship's compass at all? I've always considered this a likelihood, however never having sailed to these high lats, have never been able to test it. If it is the case, how do/did sailing vessels allow for this in their navigation? Thanks, Lisa