North Magnetic Pole Found: Earth's Hidden Compass Revealed
In 1831, James Clark Ross staked a claim on Ellesmere Island by confirming the exact spot where Earth's magnetic field plunges straight down, turning a theoretical concept into a measurable location. This discovery forced navigators to abandon simple compass rules for high-latitude travel and established a moving target that now drifts toward Russia at 37 miles per year.
June 1, 1831
195 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on June 1
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