Here's why:
* Earth's Magnetic Field: The Earth acts like a giant magnet, with a magnetic field extending out into space.
* Magnetic North: This field has a magnetic north pole, which is located near the geographic North Pole but isn't exactly the same.
* Compass Alignment: A compass needle is a small magnet that aligns itself with Earth's magnetic field, thus pointing towards magnetic north.
While Polaris (the North Star) is a useful celestial guide for navigation, it's not the same as magnetic north. The two points are close, but not identical, and the difference between them is known as magnetic declination.
