Changchun Magnetic Observatory

Changchun Magnetic Observatory has kept a continuous watch on Earth's magnetic field from Jilin province in northeast China since construction began in 1951, making it one of the country's earliest geomagnetic stations.

About Changchun Magnetic Observatory

The observatory is operated by the Earthquake Administration of Jilin Province and affiliated with the Institute of Geophysics, China Earthquake Administration (CEA). It was among the first wave of Chinese geomagnetic observatories, alongside stations at Beijing, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Urumqi, and has stayed continuously operational since it was built.

Instruments & research

Changchun runs both absolute measurements, which fix precise baseline values, and continuous variation measurements, which track how the field shifts hour to hour, using high-accuracy vector and scalar magnetometers plus a non-magnetic theodolite that meet INTERMAGNET specifications. The station's decades of data feed into geomagnetic research, and in September 2010 it hosted the Absolute Measurement Session of the XIVth IAGA Workshop on Geomagnetic Observatory Instruments, Data Acquisition, and Processing, bringing specialists to Jilin.

Location & getting there

The station lies in Jilin province in China's northeast. (Use the map and directions above to plan your route.)

Visiting Changchun Magnetic Observatory

As a scientific monitoring station rather than a tourist observatory, Changchun isn't generally set up for casual visits; check with the Earthquake Administration of Jilin Province or CEA's Institute of Geophysics before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

Changchun's instruments measure magnetism, not starlight, so it's not a spot to view your named star in person. If you'd like to actually see it, find its coordinates in our catalogue and take them to a public observatory or dark-sky site nearer to you, or name a star if you haven't yet.