Hartland Magnetic Observatory

Hartland Magnetic Observatory sits near the village of Hartland in North Devon, England, where it has kept continuous watch on the Earth's magnetic field since 1957.

About Hartland Magnetic Observatory

The observatory is operated by the British Geological Survey, part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and is one of three geomagnetic observatories BGS runs in the UK. It belongs to the international INTERMAGNET network of geomagnetic stations.

History

Hartland was built in 1956 as a successor to the earlier Abinger and Greenwich geomagnetic observatories, both of which had to relocate after railway electrification began interfering with their sensitive measurements. Continuous operations began in 1957, coinciding with the International Geophysical Year. A non-magnetic building known as Test Hut 1 was equipped in 1956 with symmetrical calibration coils; since 1983 these have been used to calibrate compasses and magnetometers for the oil and avionics industries.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located near the village of Hartland in North Devon, England, a rural setting chosen to keep its magnetic measurements free from interference.

Visiting Hartland Magnetic Observatory

As a working scientific monitoring station, Hartland Magnetic Observatory is not a typical visitor attraction. Check with the British Geological Survey for any information on tours or public access before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

Hartland's instruments track the Earth's magnetic field with great precision, the same spirit of exact measurement that lets any site be pointed at the right ascension and declination of a star named through Star Register. Browse the catalogue to find your star.