English: A permanent magnet with magnetic compasses near it, showing the direction of the magnetic field near the poles. A magnetic compass is a magnetized needle free to turn on a pivot. The space surrounding the magnet contains a magnetic field. When a compass is placed near the magnet, the field exerts a torque on the needle which causes it to rotate until it is parallel to the local field at the compass position. The north poles of the needles point in the direction of the magnetic field, so the compass serves as an indicator showing the direction of the field. The north poles of both the magnet and the compass needles are colored red. It can be seen that the magnetic field near the south pole of the magnet is directed toward the pole, while the field near the north pole is directed away from the pole.