What is Magnetic Compass Declination? And how does it work?

Magnetic Navigating with a compass is an essential skill for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts.
An important part of this is understanding compass declination:

– Compass Declination, also called magnetic declination, is the difference between magnetic north (where your compass needle points) and geographic north (the true north on a map).
– This difference occurs because the Earth’s magnetic field is not perfectly aligned with the Earth’s geographic poles.
– Your compass points to magnetic north, not geographic north, which causes a difference when trying to navigate with a map.
– Declination differs from Deviations. Read more about compass deviation here.
– Declination is the same as Variation. Variation is the term used in shipping and.

Why is Compass Declination Important?

Without taking the compass declination into account, you can get considerably off your planned path.
This can be especially critical when navigating vast or remote areas, such as the wilds of Greenland.

How to Account for Compass Declination?

Correcting compass declination is an essential part of navigation with a compass. Follow these steps:

1. Find the declination for your location: Declination varies by location on Earth. Search online or on topographic maps for the declination at your location.
2. Adjust your compass: Many compasses have an adjustable declination scale that allows you to adjust the declination. Align it with the declination at your location.
3. Use your custom compass: Now your compass points to geographic north, in line with your map. You are ready to navigate accurately!

Let’s take an example:
Suppose you are in Amsterdam, where the declination is about 1 degree east.
You would turn the declination scale on your compass 1 degree to the west so that your compass points to geographic north.

But now imagine you are on an expedition in Greenland.
There the declination is much greater, say 20 degrees west.
In this case, you would turn the declination scale on your compass 20 degrees east so that your compass points correctly to geographic north.

Summary and Further Learning

Understanding compass declination and how to adjust it is indispensable for successful navigation.

– Compass Declination is the difference between magnetic north (where your compass needle points) and geographic north (the true north on a map).
– This difference is especially important to consider in areas where declination is large, such as Greenland.
– You can find the declination for your location and adjust your compass to have it point correctly to geographic north.

Navigating with a compass and map can be challenging at first, but with practice and patience, you’ll get better at it.
If you want to learn more about using a map and compass, and especially how to apply declination in practice, we encourage you to participate in our map and compass workshop.
These workshops provide hands-on training in navigation skills, including understanding and adjusting compass declination.

These workshops are not only informative, but also practical and fun.
Led by experienced guides, you will have the opportunity to test your new knowledge in a beautiful setting.

Remember, no one is born with knowledge of navigation or compass declination.
These skills are acquired over time and through experience.
So don’t be discouraged if it seems difficult at first, keep practicing and you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Good luck and happy navigating!