The north magnetic pole, also known as the magnetic north pole, is a point on the surface of Earth's Northern Hemisphere at which the planet's magnetic field points vertically downward. There is only one location where this occurs, near (but distinct from) the geographic north pole.

Sir James Clark Ross (15 April 1800 – 3 April 1862) was a British Royal Navy officer and polar explorer known for his explorations of the Arctic and Antarctic. He joined the British Navy at the age of 12, served on his first Arctic voyage at age 18 under his uncle John Ross (1777-1856), and was promoted to commander in 1827. In 1831 British Navy commander, naturalist, and explorer James Clark Ross searched for the Magnetic North Pole on Boothia Peninsula, north of Canada and west of Greenland.

During the eighteenth century, explorers wanted to find a Northwest Passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was one of the most important exploration goals of the time. While Ross did not discover the Northwest Passage, his discovery was judged a significant achievement both in science and in Arctic exploration. Finding the Magnetic North Pole advanced knowledge of the Earth's magnetic field. Knowing its location allowed mariners, sailing in any part of the world, to better fix their position.

During the winter of 1831, when James Ross's ships were trapped in the Arctic ice, he led a series of overland expeditions aimed at mapping Arctic features and, if it could be located, finding the Magnetic North Pole. Expeditions could not start until the long Arctic winter of darkness was over. By March 1831 Ross and his party, accompanied by Inuit (Eskimos) with sleds and dogs, were able to set out to chart land features and explore.

At 8 o'clock in the morning on June 1, 1831, Ross reckoned that he had reached the Magnetic North Pole. To make sure, he used a "dip circle," an instrument from which he suspended horizontal delicate needles. When his dip circle registered a dip in the needle of 89 degrees and 59 minutes, due south, close to 90 degrees, Ross knew he was at the Magnetic North Pole. Their compass and chart readings also told him that he was at latitude 70 degrees, 5 minutes, and 17 seconds north, and longitude 96 degrees, 46 minutes, and 45 seconds west. This was then the first time the Magnetic North Pole had been located and stood upon.

When they returned to England after four winters in the Arctic and the achievement of finding the Magnetic North Pole, James Clark Ross and his men were cheered as heroes.

According to encyclopedia.com & Wikipedia