the.com/magnetic compass
A needle that gossips about the earth's core and never lies on purpose.
means A navigational tool with a magnetized needle that aligns itself with Earth's magnetic field to indicate direction, typically pointing toward magnetic north.
from The 'compass' part traces to Old French 'compasser' meaning 'to measure, to go around' — rooted in Latin 'com-' (together) plus 'passus' (step or pace), so a compass was originally just something that paced out a circle, hence its use for the drawing tool too. 'Magnetic' comes from Latin 'magnes,' tied to Magnesia, a region in ancient Greece associated with lodestone, the naturally magnetized rock that first revealed this strange pulling power. The device itself is believed to have been developed in China, possibly over a thousand years ago, first for divination and geomancy before sailors realized a floating or pivoted lodestone needle could keep them from getting hopelessly lost at sea.
- true north gap
- points at magnetic north, not actual north
- ancient origin
- chinese lodestone spoons predate the needle version
- error has name
- deviation from true north is called declination
- still works
- no batteries, survives when gps dies