[Cold Heart]

Declination has an entirely different meaning in regards to navigation. Declination is an angular measurement of a celestial body.

[zot]

Yes, in celestial navigation and in astronomy, declination is the angular distance of a celestial body north or south of the celestial equator. It is used with RIGHT ASCENSION to locate an exact position in the sky, regardless of Earth’s rotation.

I became a pretty good celestial navigator in Strategic Air Command (1957-1965), including high Arctic flights, because the B-47 didn’t have LORAN or Doppler or Inertial or GPS. We had a radio compass (loop antenna), but radio bearings weren’t reliable in the Arctic or over the middle of an ocean.

[matt1234]

"Declination is the angular difference between any two norths."

Source: US Army FM 3-25.26, Map Reading and Land Navigation 18JAN2005, para. 6-6

I know the USN uses "variation."