How does a magnetic compass work? Well, it’s all down to basic physics and human ingenuity. The key component of a standard baseplate compass is its magnetized needle, which is allowed to spin freely ...

Dan Joling of Anchorage was set to photograph the full moon rising over the Port of Anchorage on Jan. 6. His research told him the moon would pop over the horizon at a certain number of degrees from ...

Finding true north is just as essential for project teams and capital projects as it is for personal journeys and accurate navigation. Ask any surveyor. They will tell you that true north by ...

If you're annoyed that your pocket compass doesn't point exactly to true north, then head for Greenwich, England, where magnetic north and true north are synching over the next two weeks for the first ...

Paul Wilkes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

For the first time in 360 years, compass needles at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in England will point toward true North. But why weren’t they pointing there in the first place? Earth has two North ...

As compasses draw closer to the magnetic North and South Poles, they become less reliable. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Our planet’s northern magnetic pole is not only racing toward Siberia at about 34 miles per year, it has been to Antarctica several times in the last million years—and it’s due to flip again. This isn ...