Eskdalemuir Observatory
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Deep in the countryside near Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, this UK national environmental observatory has quietly measured the Earth's magnetic field and weather for over a century.
About Eskdalemuir Observatory
Eskdalemuir is one of only three permanent geomagnetic observatories in the United Kingdom, alongside Lerwick in Shetland and Hartland in Devon. Together they form the backbone of the UK's long-term geomagnetic and environmental monitoring record.
History
The site was built in 1904. Its instruments were originally housed at Kew Observatory in London, but the spread of electric tramcars there caused too much electromagnetic interference for precise readings, so the geomagnetic equipment was moved out to rural Eskdalemuir in 1908, where it has operated ever since.
Location & getting there
The observatory occupies a remote, low-population stretch of southern Scotland - the isolation that protects its instruments from man-made interference also means dark, rural skies overhead.
Visiting Eskdalemuir Observatory
As a working national research station, Eskdalemuir is not set up as a general tourist attraction; anyone hoping to visit should confirm access with the operating authority before travelling.
See your named star from here
Wherever you are - even beside a magnetic sensor in rural Scotland - you can pull up the exact coordinates of your named star in the Star Register catalogue, or browse naming packages at star-register.eu.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
