Navigation Facts | Facts about Navigations

Where was the compass invented?

The first compasses were made in ancient China from lodestone, a naturally magnetic rock, and were used for fortune-telling and feng shui before navigation.

When did Europeans start using the compass?

Europeans started using the compass for navigation in the late 1100s, about a century after the Chinese did.

What is magnetic declination?

Magnetic declination is the angle between magnetic north and true north, and it varies depending on where you are on Earth.

What is a gyrocompass?

A gyrocompass, invented in the early 1900s, uses a spinning wheel to find true north and isn't affected by magnetism, which makes it useful on steel ships.

What were Viking sunstones?

Vikings may have used crystals called sunstones to find the Sun on cloudy days.