north pole (redirected from Race for the North Pole)

North Pole, northern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90°N. It is distinguished from the north magnetic pole. U.S. explorer Robert E. Peary is traditionally credited as being the first to reach (1909) the North Pole. In 1926, Richard E. Byrd and Floyd Bennett may have been the first persons to fly over the pole, but entries in Byrd's diary suggest that they may have missed the actual pole; if so, that feat would belong to Roald Amundsen. See also Arctic, the.

Bibliography

See F. Fleming, Ninety Degrees North: The Quest for the North Pole (2002).

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North Pole

Northern end of the Earth's geographic axis, located at latitude 90° N. It is the northern point from which all meridians of longitude start. Lying in the Arctic Ocean and covered with drifting pack ice, it has six months of constant sunlight and six months of total darkness each year. Robert E. Peary claimed to have reached the pole by dogsled in 1909, but that is now in dispute; Roald Amundsen and Richard E. Byrd claimed to have reached it by air in 1926. The geographic pole does not coincide with the magnetic North Pole, which in the early 21st century lay at about 82°45′ N, 114°25′ W, or with the geomagnetic North Pole, which is at about 79°45′ N, 71°45′ W.

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North Pole

1. the northernmost point on the earth's axis, at a latitude of 90?N

2. Astronomy the point of intersection of the earth's extended axis and the northern half of the celestial sphere, lying about 1? from Polaris

3. the pole of a freely suspended magnet, which is attracted to the earth's magnetic North Pole

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north pole [′nȯrth ′pōl]

(astronomy)

The north celestial pole that indicates the zenith of the heavens when viewed from the north geographic pole.

(electromagnetism)

The pole of a magnet at which magnetic lines of force are considered as leaving the magnet; the lines enter the south pole; if the magnet is freely suspended, its north pole points toward the north geomagnetic pole. Also known as positive pole.

(geophysics)

The geomagnetic pole in the Northern Hemisphere, at approximately latitude 78.5°N, longitude 69°W. Also known as north magnetic pole; north geomagnetic pole.

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North Pole [′nȯrth ′pōl]

(geography)

The geographic pole located at latitude 90°N in the Northern Hemisphere of the earth; it is the northernmost point of the earth, and the northern extremity of the earth's axis of rotation. Also known as north geographic pole.