Turn your body (not just the compass) so the magnetic needle ... like a circle. North is both 0 and 360 degrees, east is 90 degrees, south 180 and west 270. To take your bearing, hold the compass ...

They also had observed that needles cooled from red heat and held in the north-south orientation (the earth's axis) would become magnetic. These more refined needle compasses could then be floated in ...