Bangui Magnetic Observatory

Bangui Magnetic Observatory sits near Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, at the heart of one of Earth's largest crustal magnetic anomalies.

About Bangui Magnetic Observatory

The observatory monitors the Bangui magnetic anomaly, which covers an area of roughly 700 by 1,000 km and encompasses about two-thirds of the Central African Republic. It is one of the largest magnetic anomalies over the entire African continent. Its amplitude varies from about −1,000 nanoTesla at ground level to about −20 nanoTesla at satellite altitude, roughly 400 km up. This is a geomagnetic research site rather than a telescope observatory.

History

The anomaly was first identified in the late 1950s and explored in detail during the 1970s, before being officially named in 1982. Early data came from US Naval Oceanographic Office aeromagnetic surveys, while satellite measurements from Cosmos 49 in 1964 and the Orbiting Geophysical Observatory in the 1970s added further detail. Its origin remains debated between a large igneous intrusion and a Precambrian meteorite impact, with no consensus yet reached.

Location & getting there

The observatory is centred near Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. Use the map and directions on this page for its coordinates.

Visiting Bangui Magnetic Observatory

As a scientific monitoring station studying Earth's magnetic field rather than a public attraction, visiting details are not publicly confirmed; check with geomagnetic research authorities before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

Bangui Magnetic Observatory studies what lies beneath the ground rather than the sky above it, but the equatorial night sky over the Central African Republic still holds the fixed coordinates of any star named through star-register.eu. Name a star and check the catalogue for its exact position.