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Magnetic Declination Formula:
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Magnetic Declination is the horizontal angle between true north and magnetic north at the time of observation. It represents the angular difference between the direction to the geographic North Pole and the direction to the magnetic North Pole.
The calculator uses the Magnetic Declination formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the angular difference between true north and magnetic north by subtracting the magnetic bearing from the true bearing.
Details: Accurate magnetic declination calculation is crucial for navigation, surveying, map reading, and any application that requires precise directional measurements. It ensures proper alignment between magnetic compass readings and true geographic directions.
Tips: Enter true bearing and magnetic bearing values in radians. Both values must be valid positive numbers. The calculator will compute the magnetic declination as the difference between these two values.
Q1: What is the difference between true bearing and magnetic bearing?
A: True bearing is measured from true north (geographic north pole), while magnetic bearing is measured from magnetic north (where compass needles point).
Q2: Why does magnetic declination vary by location?
A: Magnetic declination varies because the Earth's magnetic field is not uniform and the magnetic north pole moves over time relative to the geographic north pole.
Q3: How often does magnetic declination change?
A: Magnetic declination changes gradually over years due to shifts in the Earth's magnetic field. The rate of change varies by location.
Q4: Is magnetic declination the same worldwide?
A: No, magnetic declination varies significantly across different geographic locations and must be calculated specifically for each position.
Q5: How accurate is this calculation method?
A: The mathematical calculation is precise, but the accuracy depends on the precision of the input true bearing and magnetic bearing measurements.