Aligning the Magnetic Compass
With the aid of the magnetic compass, a telescope can be polar aligned in locations where the view of Polaris is obstructed or even before the skies get dark. The compass face has an
angular scale from 0 to 360 degrees which will be useful in adjusting for the local angle of Magnetic Declination—the difference between Magnetic North (which the compass shows) and true north (where the telescope should be pointed).