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True north
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True north usually differs from magnetic north (the direction of the magnetic north pole)
and grid north (the direction northwards along the grid lines of a map projection).
The direction of true north is marked in the skies by the north celestial pole. For most
practical purposes, this is the position of Polaris. However, due to the precession of the
Earth's axis, true north rotates in an arc that takes approximately 25,000 years to
complete. In 2102[1] Polaris will make its closest approach to the celestial north pole.
5,000 years ago, the closest star to the celestial north pole was Thuban.
On maps issued by the United States Geological Survey, and the U.S. military, true north
is marked with a line terminating in a five-pointed star. Maps issued by the United
Kingdom Ordnance Survey contain a diagram showing the difference between true north,
grid north and magnetic north at a point on the sheet.
'True North' is also the title of a book by Gavin Francis, subtitled 'Travels in Arctic
Europe' (ISBN 9781846970788). It uses the description 'Arctic' in the original Greek
sense, meaning those lands that lie beneath 'Arktos', the constellation of the Great Bear. A
historical narrative moves from the first Greek explorers to reach 'Thule' over 2000 years
ago through to the twentieth century, while the contemporary narrative visits the fragile
human communities of the European Arctic, and explores how they are adapting to 21st
century life including the threat of climate change. THe places visited are Shetland,
Faroe, Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard and Lapland.