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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-magnetic-versus-true-north

Why can magnetic north differ from true north?

Earth's magnetic poles and geographic poles are not in the same places.

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  1. Runways move each night
  2. The two kinds of poles differ ✔
  3. Latitude changes the compass color

Why: True north points toward the geographic North Pole. A compass follows Earth's magnetic field, whose pole is elsewhere.

Huh, didn't know that: The angle between true north and magnetic north at a location is called variation.

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Why did the compass disagree with the map? They had different points of view!
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References

Answer: The two kinds of poles differ. True north points toward the geographic North Pole. A compass follows Earth's magnetic field, whose pole is elsewhere.

  1. Civil Air Patrol, Journey of Flight Teacher's Guide www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/2nd_edition_Teachers_Guide_5D3166D76F9B1.pdf
    the magnetic north and south poles are not the same as the geographic north and south poles.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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