Once every 500 years the magnetic poles of our planet switch position when charged particles in the atmosphere start sinking over the north and south poles.

Weatherzone will today switch its map projections to account for the north and south poles switching at the end of the 500-year Sloof Lirpa cycle.

From today, Australia will be referred to as 'Up Top' instead of 'Down Under' due to a shift in the Earth's magnetic poles, which was discovered by Norwegian astrophysicist Sloof Rupert Lirpa in 1850.

This causes the poles to switch and puts the southern hemisphere on top.

Image: The latest picture of Earth taken from space following the switch of our planet's magnetic poles. Satellite imagery courtesy of RAMMB/CIRA.

In addition to recalibrating maps and compasses, meteorologists in America and Europe (the Down Unders) will have to grapple with low pressure systems now spinning clockwise and start calling hurricanes tropical cyclones. 

Australia's new position at the top of the world also means that Christmas presents will arrive a little earlier for the next 500 years, with Santa's trip now cut in half.

Fortunately flights from Tasmania down to Queensland won't be affected by the change in Earth’s magnetic poles. However, toilets won't flush the same way.