Wandering pole moves out of Canadian territory

Canada is saying goodbye to the north magnetic pole as it drifts off into international waters.

The magnetic pole usually moves about 10 to 12 kilometres per year, but about 20 years ago it sped up to about 40 kilometres per year.

• External site: Where is the north magnetic pole?

Scientists say Canadians may need to adjust to the fact that our pole is now headed straight toward Russia.

"Yeah, it's going to be a bit of a blow to the Canadian psyche to have it move off out of Canadian territory," says Larry Newitt, the head of Natural Resources Canada geomagnetic laboratory in Ottawa which measured the pole's location earlier this year.

"But, at least for the immediate future, it will be closer to Canada than to any other country."

Hewitt says the pole should reach Russia by 2050, but there is a possibility it will slow down, or even turn around and come back.

The north magnetic pole is thought to have been in Canadian jurisdiction since the 1600s.

The north magnetic pole an invisible point where the force of the Earth's magnetic field is directed vertically downward.

• External site: What is a magnetic pole?