Gan Magnetic Observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
On Gan, part of the Addu Atoll in the Maldives, the Gan Magnetic Observatory keeps a continuous watch on the invisible magnetic field that surrounds our planet.
About Gan Magnetic Observatory
The observatory has been operational since April 2011, established through cooperation between the Gan Meteorological Office, ETH Zürich, DTU Space and Charles University in Prague. It joined the international INTERMAGNET network in 2013, and Germany's GFZ research centre joined the collaboration in 2018 to help calibrate its data.
Telescopes & research
Rather than optical instruments, the site uses a Mingeo 020 declinometer, a Gemsys GSM-90F1 Overhauser magnetometer, a DMI FGM-FGE triaxial variometer and a LEMI 417e telluric instrument to measure variations in the Earth's geomagnetic field. Its data is shared publicly through the INTERMAGNET programme.
Location & getting there
The observatory sits at Gan International Airport, at an elevation of about 2 metres, on Addu Atoll in the Maldives, in the Asia region.
See your named star from here
Even in a place dedicated to measuring the Earth's own magnetic field, the night sky above the Maldives offers some of the clearest, darkest stargazing anywhere. If you've named a star, its coordinates in our catalogue will help you find it from a beach on Addu Atoll or anywhere else.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
