Will a compass work in space?

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asked Feb 4, 2022 in Science by livingstonia (1,380 points)
Will a compass work in space?

1 Answer

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answered Feb 11, 2022 by QJesse44 (8,910 points)
A compass will work in space but just not as good as it would work on earth.

When you into space with the compass the magnetic field gets weaker but the compass will still work but just not as good.

A compass, on earth, points to the earth's magnetic north pole. In space it would point to the nearest magnetic field if there was one close enough.

So, no, it would not work in space as it does on the surface of the earth.

Compasses work using magnetic fields.

As you leave the Earth and move into space the magnetic field will get weaker.

Even though the field is weaker, the compass can still align with it meaning that a compass on the International Space Station would still be a reliable guide to the North Pole.

A star has a magnetic field too.

Even the north and south pole of a galaxy.

So, if you were trying to navigate with a compass in space, just remember that compass is going to respond to the strongest and closest magnetic field.

It will point north, north to the pole of the planet.

Of the planets, only Mercury, Earth, and the gas giants have magnetic fields.

Since the gas giants don't have solid surfaces on which to stand, Mercury is the only other planet where a compass might work.

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