Magnetic North refers to the direction in which a magnetic compass needle points, which is influenced by Earth’s magnetic field. Unlike True North (which is the direction toward the geographic North Pole), Magnetic North is the point on Earth’s surface where the planet’s magnetic field lines converge, near the Earth’s magnetic North Pole.
Key Points about Magnetic North:
Magnetic North Pole:
The Magnetic North Pole is the location where the Earth’s magnetic field lines point vertically downward. It is not located at the geographic North Pole, but it shifts over time due to changes in the Earth’s magnetic field. The magnetic North Pole is currently located in the Arctic Ocean, north of Canada, but its position moves because the Earth’s magnetic field is dynamic.
Magnetic Variation(Mag Var):
The difference between True North and Magnetic North is called magnetic declination or magnetic variation.
Magnetic declination varies depending on your location on Earth. It can be east or west, depending on whether Magnetic North is to the east or west of True North at your location. This variation is not constant and can change over time as the Earth’s magnetic field shifts.
For example, in some areas, Magnetic North could be 10° west of True North, meaning that a compass reading of 0° (north) would actually be pointing 10° to the west of geographic north.
Navigational Considerations:
When navigating using a compass, it’s important to correct for magnetic declination to ensure that the heading is accurate when compared to True North. For instance, if the magnetic declination is 10° east, a compass reading of 0° (magnetic north) would actually be 10° to the east of true north.
GPS systems typically use True North for accuracy, but when navigating with a magnetic compass, knowing the local magnetic declination is crucial.
Example:
If you’re in a region where magnetic declination is 5° west, and you need to travel true north (0° on the compass), you would need to adjust your magnetic compass by 5° to the east. This ensures your compass points to True North, not Magnetic North.
In Summary:
Magnetic North is the direction that a magnetic compass points toward, which is determined by the Earth’s magnetic field.
It is different from True North, which points to the geographic North Pole.
The difference between True North and Magnetic North is called magnetic declination, and it varies by location and changes over time due to shifts in the Earth’s magnetic field.
