Question
when your arrow on your compass is poiting, its not poiting true north?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
That's correct. A compass needle points to magnetic north, which is different from true north. True north refers to the direction along the Earth's surface towards the North Pole, while magnetic north is determined by the Earth's magnetic field.
The difference between true north and magnetic north is known as magnetic declination (or magnetic variation). This declination varies depending on your location and can change over time due to changes in the Earth's magnetic field. To navigate accurately, it’s important to account for this declination if you are using a compass for navigation. Many maps provide the current magnetic declination for the area they cover, allowing you to adjust your compass readings accordingly.
The difference between true north and magnetic north is known as magnetic declination (or magnetic variation). This declination varies depending on your location and can change over time due to changes in the Earth's magnetic field. To navigate accurately, it’s important to account for this declination if you are using a compass for navigation. Many maps provide the current magnetic declination for the area they cover, allowing you to adjust your compass readings accordingly.