A compass points to Magnetic North, which is hundreds of miles away from the true North Pole.

Earth's magnetic field is generated by the geodynamo, a process involving the movement of molten iron and nickel in the planet's outer core. Because this liquid metal is constantly shifting, the location of the Magnetic North Pole is not fixed. In 1831, explorer James Clark Ross first located the magnetic pole in the Canadian Arctic. Since then, it has been drifting toward Siberia at a rate of approximately 34 miles (55 kilometers) per year.The Geographic North Pole is the fixed point where Earth's axis of rotation meets the surface. The angular difference between this true north and the magnetic north shown on a compass is known as magnetic declination. In places like Seattle, the declination is roughly 14 degrees East, meaning a compass points significantly away from the actual pole. Navigators must use tools like the World Magnetic Model (WMM) to calculate these offsets accurately.The WMM is a joint product of the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the British Geological Survey. It is updated every five years to account for the unpredictable movement of the magnetic field. Without these updates, modern navigation systems in ships, aircraft, and smartphones would become increasingly inaccurate over time. This phenomenon highlights how the planet's internal dynamics directly impact human technology and exploration.