magnetic compass
Needle points north
A magnetic compass is a navigation instrument containing a magnetized needle that aligns with Earth's magnetic field, pointing toward magnetic north.
The device has guided travelers for centuries and remains standard equipment on ships and aircraft despite electronic alternatives.
The pilot checked his magnetic compass when the GPS failed.
Arctic-facing cardinal direction
- southCardinal direction opposite north
- eastSunrise cardinal point
- westCardinal direction toward sunset
- cardinalOf foremost importance
bearing · azimuth · true north · declination · variation · heading · course · meridian
Naturally magnetic mineral
- ferromagnetismStrong atomic magnetic alignment
- magnetiteMagnetic iron ore
- polesLong sticks or extremities
- fluxContinuous change or flow
Vessel's steering mechanism
- starboardVessel's right-hand side
- portDocking place for ships
- bearingPosture or orientation
- binnacleNautical compass housing
quartermaster · helmsman · bridge · chartroom · steering · yacht · vessel · captain
Data shown visually
- waypointNavigation reference location
- dead reckoningPosition-tracking via estimated motion
- pilotageShip navigation expertise
- plottingDevising a secret plan
nautical mile · knot · bearing · fix · position · leg · route · coastal navigation
Organized exploratory journey
- unchartedNot yet documented
- frontierEdge of settlement
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
pathfinding · bushcraft · backcountry · overland · orienteering · search and rescue · surveying · mapping
north
Arctic-facing cardinal direction
- southCardinal direction opposite north
- eastSunrise cardinal point
- westCardinal direction toward sunset
cardinal · bearing · azimuth · true north · declination · variation · heading · course · meridian · pole
lodestone
Naturally magnetic mineral
- ferromagnetismStrong atomic magnetic alignment
- magnetiteMagnetic iron ore
- polesLong sticks or extremities
flux · attraction · inclination · secular variation · degaussing
helm
Vessel's steering mechanism
binnacle · quartermaster · helmsman · bridge · chartroom · steering · yacht · vessel · captain · nautical
chart
Data shown visually
- waypointNavigation reference location
- dead reckoningPosition-tracking via estimated motion
- pilotageShip navigation expertise
plotting · nautical mile · knot · bearing · fix · position · leg · route · coastal navigation · offshore
expedition
Organized exploratory journey
- unchartedNot yet documented
- frontierEdge of settlement
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
pioneer · pathfinding · bushcraft · backcountry · overland · orienteering · search and rescue · surveying · mapping · cartography
needle
Pointed implement for sewing
baseplate · bezel · damping · prismatic · calibration · deviation · gimbal · lanyard
- science toysNewton's cradle, gyroscope, plasma ball, prism, pendulum
- navigationsigns, charts, navbar, headings, maps
- navigation toolsGoogle Maps, GPS, Waze, Apple Maps, MapQuest
- compassesnorth, south, east, west, northeast
- desert navigationlandmarks, sand dunes, GPS, maps, dead reckoning
- cockpit instrumentsaltimeter, attitude indicator, tachometer, artificial horizon, fuel gauge
magnetic compassGPS
Satellite-based location technology
satellite navigation · GPS receiver · celestial navigation · gyrocompass · astrolabe
measure, compass, magnet, magnetic, magnetism, compasses, magnetize, magnetized, magnetizing