Deadhorse Magnetic Observatory

Deadhorse Magnetic Observatory sits at Prudhoe Bay on Alaska's North Slope, one of the northernmost stations in the United States' network for monitoring Earth's magnetic field.

About Deadhorse Magnetic Observatory

Deadhorse is the newest geomagnetism observatory operated by the US Geological Survey, reaching initial operational capability in March 2010. It was established as a public-private partnership between the USGS and Schlumberger.

Telescopes & research

The station continuously records the vector and scalar strength of Earth's magnetic field, data used for main-field modeling, space physics research, and space weather forecasting. Its location in the auroral zone fills a critical gap in magnetic data coverage at high latitudes, and its measurements are made publicly available to the scientific community.

Location & getting there

The observatory is situated near Prudhoe Bay in far northern Alaska, at roughly 70.4°N, well above the Arctic Circle.

Visiting Deadhorse Magnetic Observatory

This is an unstaffed scientific monitoring station rather than a visitor attraction, and Prudhoe Bay is a remote industrial area with limited public access. There is no public viewing programme; the observatory's value lies in the data it streams to researchers.

See your named star from here

Alaska's remote, dark northern skies are among the best places on Earth to stargaze, aurora included. If you name a star, its coordinates travel with you wherever you go, including far northern latitudes like Prudhoe Bay. See what has already been named in the star catalogue.