Magnetic Declination: Finding True South

Magnetic declination, the angle difference between magnetic south and true solar south, must also be taken into account when determining proper solar array orientation. If a magnetic compass alone is used to determine where to point the array, you may not capture the maximum amount of solar radiation. For a general view of the magnetic declination field lines in North America, see the map below.

If you wish to gain in-depth information about magnetic declination, visit the following website: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/geomag/declination.shtml .