3207: Bad Map Projection: Zero Declination

2026-02-14T06:33:18Z

2600:387:15:2E16:0:0:0:8:

{{comic
| number = 3207
| date = February 13, 2026
| title = Bad Map Projection: Zero Declination
| image = bad_map_projection_zero_declination.png
| imagesize = 740x544px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'The zero line in WMM2025 passes through a lot of population centers; I wonder what year the largest share of the population lived in a zone of less than 5° of declination,' he thought, derailing all other tasks for the rest of the day.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by a misaligned map. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This is the tenth comic in the [[:Category:Bad Map Projections|Bad Map Projections]] series displaying Bad Map Projection #216: Zero Declination.

While the Earths magnetic field is broadly aligned North-South, the actual alignment of the magnetic field varies over time and position. The difference between True North (the axis of Earths rotation) and Magnetic North (the direction a compass will point) will vary depending on your position, and is known as the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_declination Magnetic Declination]] of that point.

The comic shows a map where that has been distorted based on the Magnetic Declination such that Magnetic North for that point is pointed toward the top of the map. If such a map were reality, then magnetic north would always be aligned with true north, or in other words, there would be Zero Declination at all points.

The red arrows indicate the distortions from the starting map required to make this the case.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Bad Map Projections]]

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3207: Bad Map Projection: Zero Declination