Like many things in life getting back to basics generally helps to refresh the  collective knowledge we have accumulated over time on any given subject. Today let's revisit the basics of what magnetic north means...

The Earth's magnetic field is shaped approximately like that of a bar magnet and, like a magnet, it has two magnetic poles, one in the Canadian arctic, referred to as the North Magnetic Pole, and one off the coast of Antarctica, south of Australia, referred to as the South Magnetic Pole. At the North Magnetic Pole the Earth's magnetic field is directed vertically downward relative to the Earth's surface. Consequently, magnetic dip, or inclination is 90° . In addition, the North Magnetic Pole is the eventual destination for a traveller who follows his or her compass needle from anywhere on Earth.  Read on ...http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/geomag/nmp/northpole_e.php

Posted by Jay Roberts at 09:12 PM | Permalink