Finding direction based on longitudes and latitudes and a compass?

Question

Hi, I want to know if and how I can locate the direction on a compass of a place whose longitudenal (and latitudenal) positions are known to me, from another place whose longitudenal (and latitudenal) positions are also known to me?
Plus what is the common word used to describe longitude and latitude (just forgot actually)?
Kindly also consider that the north pole on a compass is the magnetic pole (meaning it's not 0 degrees) and not the geomatrical pole (meaning 0 degrees) around which all these longitudes and latitudes are drawn out.

Answer 1

The North Magnetic Pole is at roughly 87°N, 114°W. A proper analysis of your problem requires spherical trigonometry, which I am not well versed, so I'm going to use flat rectangular approximations. The angle between your line to the NMP and the NP, or your magnetic bearing to the North Pole can be approximated as arctan((90-87)/(114 - long1) The bearing to your destination will be arctan((90-87)/(114 - long1) + arctan((long2 - long1)/(latt2 - latt1)).

These rough approximations will need course corrections enroute. You can't follow your compass heading to your destination in any case, since the apparent angle getween Magnetic North and True North will change as you travel, unless you are travelling on the Great Circle that passes through both poles.

Answer 2

Buy a GPS. It is very easy to learn how to work with GPS if you compare with the compass.

1st: turn on the GPS (then you discover your real location)
2nd: create a new way poit with the longitudenal (and latitudenal) of the place where you want.
3rd: press GOTO

Easy!