Alibag Magnetic Observatory

Around 30 kilometres southeast of Mumbai, on India's west coast, the Alibag Magnetic Observatory has been recording the Earth's magnetic field since 1904.

About Alibag Magnetic Observatory

Alibag is a geomagnetic - not astronomical - observatory, part of the global network run by India's Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG). It measures the planet's magnetic field and space-weather effects rather than observing the stars.

History

The observatory was established in April 1904 as the successor to the earlier Colaba Magnetic Observatory in Bombay, which was relocated after electric trams introduced in 1900 began interfering with its magnetic readings. Together, the Colaba and Alibag records form one of the world's longest continuous magnetic data series.

Telescopes & research

The site consists of two buildings: one housing magnetometers that continuously record the geomagnetic field, and a second with precision instruments used to capture data on solar storms and their effects on Earth's magnetic environment.

Location & getting there

Alibag Magnetic Observatory sits on India's west coast, roughly 30 kilometres southeast of Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Visiting Alibag Magnetic Observatory

As a scientific monitoring station rather than a public astronomy site, Alibag isn't set up for stargazing visits. If you're researching India's magnetic observatories, the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism is the best point of contact for access details.

See your named star from here

Alibag itself watches the Earth's magnetic field rather than the night sky, but the wider Mumbai area has clear coastal nights worth using to look for a named star. Find its coordinates in the star catalogue and check nearby observatories for stargazing options.