compasses

[kilkenny]

If you are in the southern hemisphere does the needle of a compass point to the South Pole

[Loosehead]

I think the compass needle is magnetised to the same polarity as the Earth so it should point to Mag North regardless. Interestingly Mag north is not at the North pole so standing on the North Pole it will point South!

[fo3nix]

yes, compasses always point north. this is because of the direction of the earth's magnetic fields.

a quick googling returned this:
http://www.physics.sjsu.edu/facstaff/becker/physics51/im ages/28_03_Earth_magnetic_field.jpg

[magicdice]

the north pole of a magnet/compass needle is its north-SEEKING pole, so this end will always point to the north pole.

[Gef]

If one end of the needle is pointing to the (magnetic) North pole then the other end must be pointing to the (magnetic) South pole.

[landie]

Yes, all good things have an end, except a pudding and a compass needle which have two.

[Clanad]

 The magnetic North Pole is a location in northeastern Canada at which a magnetic compass stands nearly on end.  Actually the highest declination of a compass needle was measured at 89 degress 56 minutes.  The magnetic North Pole is moving northwestward at about 10 kilometers per year...