What are the Different Types of Compass?
A compass is a device which can determine a direction on the Earth, usually used for navigation. A compass may be aligned to either magnetic north or true North, or occasionally to an arbitrary direction based on the location of celestial bodies. Magnetic north is the direction of the north tip of the Earth’s magnetic field, while true North is the direction in which the Earth rotates. The most common type of compass is a magnetic compass, which is used to ascertain the direction of magnetic north. A magnetic compass is made by placing a bit of magnetized iron or steel in a setting of low friction so that it is allowed to move about freely. In most compasses, the north-end of the metal piece is marked, most often with red paint, so that all directions may be ascertained. The use of the magnetic compass can be traced back as far as 4th century BC China, where a type of magnetite known as lodestone was used as a tool in a type of divining magic known as geomancy. The Chinese mastered the
