Honolulu Magnetic Observatory
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Honolulu Magnetic Observatory is a U.S. Geological Survey geomagnetic monitoring station on the south shore of Oahu, Hawaii, just west of Pearl Harbor at Ewa Beach.
About Honolulu Magnetic Observatory
An unmanned facility run by the USGS Geomagnetism Program, the observatory (station code HON) continuously records the Earth's time-varying magnetic field. It is one of only 14 magnetic monitoring stations across the United States, and it also takes part in the international 210 Magnetic Meridian Array.
History
The observatory traces back to 1902, when it was established as part of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey under Drs. Louis A. Bauer and John A. Fleming. Its current facility, at an elevation of about 4 metres, opened in 1960.
Location & getting there
The station sits at Ewa Beach on the south side of Oahu, west of Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii.
Visiting Honolulu Magnetic Observatory
As an unmanned scientific monitoring station rather than a visitor site, the facility is not set up for public tours; anyone interested in its data should consult the USGS Geomagnetism Program's website.
See your named star from here
Honolulu Magnetic Observatory watches Earth's magnetic field rather than the stars, but Oahu's dark Pacific skies are still a fine place to look for the star named in your honour. Check the star catalogue or start with Star Register's packages to find your star's coordinates.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check the official website and Google Maps for current times before you travel.
