Duronia Magnetic Observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
In the hills of Duronia in central Italy, the Duronia Magnetic Observatory quietly measures the Earth's electromagnetic field far from the noise of modern life.
About Duronia Magnetic Observatory
The station has monitored environmental electromagnetic signals since the end of 2007 as part of the MEM (Magnetic and Electric fields Monitoring) Project, run by the Abruzzo region. It records signals across the ULF-ELF-VLF frequency band, from 0.001 Hz to 100 kHz, over the wider Adriatic area, using tri-axial fluxgate and Overhauser magnetometers.
Telescopes & research
Duronia isn't a stargazing site but a geophysical monitoring station: its value lies in the very low electromagnetic and instrumentation background noise at the location, which makes its readings unusually clean. Data from the site has fed into research on geomagnetic storms, including studies using its magnetic field measurements.
Location & getting there
The observatory sits near the town of Duronia in central Italy, chosen for its remoteness and low background electromagnetic interference.
Visiting Duronia Magnetic Observatory
As a scientific monitoring station rather than a visitor site, Duronia has no published public opening hours. Anyone interested in visiting should contact the operating research body directly before travelling.
See your named star from here
Duronia measures the Earth's magnetic field rather than the night sky, but if you've named a star with Star Register, its exact coordinates can be pointed to by any telescope under a dark central Italian sky. Look it up in our star catalogue.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
