Where does the needle of a compass point when you are at the North Pole?

Question

You are right there, the pinnacle of the Earth and any step in any direction will be south. Where does it point?

Answer 1

Down, no matter which way you look.

Answer 2

The magnetic north pole is slightly changing, so there is no single point to put the compass. It would just erratically spin in circles.

Answer 3

Ill bet it leads directly to the Fortress of solitude.

Answer 4

It still points to the North Pole, but via the South Pole.  So it says go this way, to the South Pole, to go up the other side of the earth to the North Pole.  Did it once.  It was the worst vacation I ever had.  It's like some cruel cosmic joke.  Hope I never fall for that one again.

Answer 5

it may show angular deviation as it will be pointing to magnetic north and u would be at geographic north.

it will be pointing in the direction of magnetic north.

gotcha!!

Answer 6

I think it just breaks.

Answer 7

I "think" it spins.

Answer 8

Well, since you are not at the 'magnetic' north pole and since every direction is, as you have defined in your question, south, then the compass needle will be pointing

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South.

Answer 9

The North Pole is not true magnetic north.  It will point towards a location in Northern Canada which will seem southward from the North Pole.  The actual magnetic north moves slowly.  Wikipedia has an excellent article on it.

Answer 10

The needle will spin around when you are on the north pole.  And you couldn't take a step because the North Pole is not on land, it's in the water of the Arctic ocean.

Answer 11

technically it would still put the direction of the magnetic pull, so if you were any bit away from it, it would still point towards it. you can never be exactly at it, but if you are, it would probably just spin around in a bunch of circles.

Answer 12

it will point to the magnetic north pole which is different than the north pole. and if you hold it sideways on the magnetic north pole it will point straight down towards the ground. as for holding it the right way it will probably move around a little as you move around.

beside you would prolly be a little more worried about the cold then where the compass is pointing

Answer 13

Rob G is right.

In fact when you buy a compass you specify which zone you want it for because they balance the needle to resist the magnetic field pulling the needle down.

Answer 14

it points to magnetic north which is not the north pole. The north pole is geographic.

Answer 15

At your feet.....ha ha ha ha ha .