It is true that it is kind of arbitrary which is the North and which is the South on a planet. However to keep things consistent we have defined the North and South poles of a planet based on the direction of rotation. This is why Venus have its North and South pole different to the other planets in the solar system as it rotates the other way. Another possible way to define the North and South pole would have been based on its orbit around the star. However this does not always corespond to the rotation of the planet. For example Uranus is rotating at its side so that once an orbit the North pole is facing directly to the Sun. But the direction of rotation can always be established with certainty.
Latest Answers