Abstract: The scalar triangulation and ranging（STAR） method can realize the real-time localization of a single magnetic dipole target in the moving state and is not sensitive to the attitude of the moving platform, which is based on the characteristics of magnetic gradient contraction. However, aspherical error introduced by magnetic gradient contraction（C_T） limit the localization accuracy. To solve this problem, a new linear localization method for magnetic dipole target is proposed in this paper, which uses normalized source strength（NSS） instead of C_T to eliminate the influence of aspherical errors. In order to analyze the localization performance of the proposed method on magnetic targets with different orientations, an omnidirectional simulation model with a detection range of 10m was established. The simulation results show that the real-time performance of the proposed method is as good as that of the STAR method, and the maximum localization errors of the proposed method and the STAR method are 0. 18 m and 1. 5 m respectively under the influence of noise. Field experiment results show that when the detection distance is 1. 284 m, the average localization error of the proposed method on the latitude trajectory is only 0. 094 m, which is 56. 7% lower than that of the traditional STAR method. The average localization error on the longitude trajectory is 0. 097 m, which is 30. 7% lower than the traditional STAR method.