The magnetic compass has been a crucial navigational tool for around a thousand years or so, perhaps longer. While classical versions still work perfectly well, you can now get digital magnetometer… ...

Parts of a baseplate compass. ... Magnetic declination is the angle between magnetic north and true north, and it’s also one of the primary places where beginner navigators mess up.

Some inventions are so simple that it’s hard to improve them. The magnetic compass is a great example — a magnetized needle, a bit of cork, and a bowl of water are all you need to start… ...

With a compass, you can find out which way a magnetic pole is—and from that, you can approximate other directions such as where south, east and west are as well. On supporting science journalism ...

The magnetic compass — used in navigation for hundreds of years — is a tool that helps you find your way. Good beginner hiking/orienteering compasses can be found online or in outdoor sections ...