true north

The direction from any point on the earth's surface toward the geographic North Pole; the northerly direction along any projection of the earth's axis upon the earth's surface, for example, along a longitude line.

Except for much of navigational practice (which uses magnetic north), true north is the universal 0° (or 360°) mapping reference. True north differs from magnetic north by the magnetic declination at that geographic point.

1. A point in an electromagnetic field at which electric or magnetic field lines converge.
   
   See also dipole, magnetic dipole.
   
2. For any circle on the surface of a sphere, the point of intersection of the surface of the sphere and the normal line through the center of the circle.
   The North and South geographic poles are the poles of the equator or of any other latitude circle.
   
3. The origin of a system of polar coordinates.

The direction from any point on the earth's surface toward the geographic North Pole; the northerly direction along any projection of the earth's axis upon the earth's surface, for example, along a longitude line.