Cheongyang Magnetic Observatory

Tucked into the hills roughly five kilometres from the nearest main road, the Geomagnetic Observatory in Cheongyang, South Korea, was sited there deliberately, far enough from traffic and power lines to keep its magnetic readings free of artificial noise.

About Cheongyang Magnetic Observatory

Established by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the station, often abbreviated GOC, consists of four huts housing its instruments. Its remote, mountainous siting is a deliberate choice: distance from roads and infrastructure reduces the artificial magnetic noise that would otherwise interfere with its readings.

Research & monitoring

GOC runs two complementary kinds of measurement: absolute measurements that establish precise baseline values, and continuous variation measurements that track how the field changes through the day. High-accuracy vector and scalar magnetometers and a non-magnetic theodolite, all meeting INTERMAGNET specifications, do the work, with diurnal variation correction applied to separate genuine geographic signals from routine daily fluctuations. Beyond basic geomagnetic monitoring, KMA uses the station's data to study whether magnetic-field changes could help forecast earthquake activity.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in a mountainous, deliberately quiet area of Cheongyang, South Korea. (Use the map and directions above to plan your route.)

Visiting Cheongyang Magnetic Observatory

This is a working scientific monitoring station rather than a public attraction, so check with the Korea Meteorological Administration before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

Cheongyang's instruments read Earth's magnetism rather than the night sky, so it isn't a place to view your named star directly. Look up your star's coordinates in our catalogue and bring them to a public observatory or a dark spot nearer to you instead, or name a star if you haven't yet.