What is the difference between north and true north called?

True north is also known as geographic north. True north is the direction along the surface of the Earth that ends in the location of the North Pole.

Magnetic north is the location where the Earth’s magnetic field points vertically downward. The direction of magnetic north changes with time and with location on Earth’s surface.

Grid north (GN) is the direction of a plane grid system, usually the grid associated with the map projection.

Maps published by the USGS will contain a north arrow that shows all three norths.

What is the difference between north and true north called?

The lines of the Earth’s magnetic field come vertically out of the Earth at the south magnetic pole and go vertically down into the Earth at the north magnetic pole. Nasky/Shutterstock

How do the norths align?

Magnetic north and geographic north align when the so-called “angle of declination”, the difference between the two norths at a particular location, is 0°.

Declination is the angle in the horizontal plane between magnetic north and geographic north. It changes with time and geographic location.

The declination angle varies between -90° and +90°. Author provided

On a map of the Earth, lines along which there is zero declination are called agonic lines. Agonic lines follow variable paths depending on time variation in the Earth’s magnetic field.

Currently, zero declination is occurring in some parts of Western Australia, and will likely move westward in coming years.

What is the difference between north and true north called?

Locations on this 2019 map with a green contour line have zero declination. Lines along which declination is zero are called agonic lines. Author provided, Author provided (no reuse)

That said, it’s hard to predict exactly when an area will have zero declination. This is because the rate of change is slow and current models of the Earth’s magnetic field only cover a few years, and are updated at roughly five-year intervals.

At some locations, alignment between magnetic north and geographic north is very unlikely at any time, based on predictions.

The ever-changing magnetic poles

Most compasses point towards Earth’s north magnetic pole, which is usually in a different place to the north geographic pole. The location of the magnetic poles is constantly changing.

Earth’s magnetic poles exist because of its magnetic field, which is produced by electric currents in the liquid part of its core. This magnetic field is defined by intensity and two angles, inclination and declination.

The relationship between geographic location and declination is something people using magnetic compasses have to consider. Declination is the reason a compass reading for north in one location is different to a reading for north in another, especially if there is considerable distance between both locations.


Read more: New evidence for a human magnetic sense that lets your brain detect the Earth's magnetic field


Bush walkers have to be mindful of declination. In Perth, declination is currently close to 0° but in eastern Australia it can be up to 12°. This difference can be significant. If a bush walker following a magnetic compass disregards the local value of declination, they may walk in the wrong direction.

The polarity of Earth’s magnetic poles has also changed over time and has undergone pole reversals. This was significant as we learnt more about plate tectonics in the 1960s, because it linked the idea of seafloor spreading from mid-ocean ridges to magnetic pole reversals.

Geographic north

Geographic north, perhaps the more straightforward of the two, is the direction that points straight at the North Pole from any location on Earth.

When flying an aircraft from A to B, we use directions based on geographic north. This is because we have accurate geographic locations for places and need to follow precise routes between them, usually trying to minimise fuel use by taking the shortest route. All GPS navigation uses geographic location.


Read more: Five maps that will change how you see the world


Geographic coordinates, latitude and longitude, are defined relative to Earth’s spheroidal shape. The geographic poles are at latitudes of 90°N (North Pole) and 90°S (South Pole), whereas the Equator is at 0°.

An alignment at Greenwich

For hundreds of years, declination at Greenwich was negative, meaning compass needles were pointing west of true north.

At the time of writing this article I used an online calculator to discover that, at the Greenwich Observatory, the Earth’s magnetic field currently has a declination just above zero, about +0.011°.

The average rate of change in the area is about 0.19° per year, which at Greenwich’s latitude represents about 20km per year. This means next year, locations about 20km west of Greenwich will have zero declination.

It’s impossible to say how long compasses at Greenwich will now point east of true north.

Regardless, an alignment after 360 years at the home of the Prime Meridian is undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

What is the difference between north and true north?

What's up with Magnetic North vs True North? “True north” is the northern axis of rotation of the Earth. It is the point where the lines of longitude converge on maps. “Magnetic north” is the point on the Earth's surface where its magnetic field points directly downwards.

What are the 3 types of north?

A tale of three norths.
True north is right at the top of the planet, at the geographic North Pole. The earth spins around this point so it never changes position. ... .
Magnetic north is the direction that a compass will point to. ... .
Grid north is the direction that the grid lines on a map point to..

What are the 4 types of north?

The Four Norths.
True North. Our first north is directed toward the Geographic North Pole, the point at which all the lines of longitude on the Earth intersect in the northern hemisphere. ... .
Magnetic North. This north, in contrast to true north, is the direction that compasses point toward. ... .
Grid North. ... .
Assumed North..

What is true north also known as?

True north, also known as geographic north or geodetic north, is the direction of the North Pole, the northernmost point of the Earth's rotational axis.