Kourou Magnetic Observatory

In Kourou, French Guiana, an observatory keeps constant watch not on the stars but on the invisible pulse of Earth's own magnetic field.

About Kourou Magnetic Observatory

Kourou Magnetic Observatory is a geomagnetic monitoring station operated by the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP). It measures Earth's magnetic field rather than observing the night sky, and is part of INTERMAGNET, a worldwide network of magnetic observatories that supplies high-precision, high-stability geomagnetic data.

Telescopes & research

Rather than telescopes, the station's instruments record continuous magnetic field measurements, which IPGP distributes as real-time, quasi-definitive, and definitive data at scales ranging from seconds to years, used by scientists studying everything from space weather to Earth's core.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in Kourou, French Guiana, a French overseas territory on the northeastern coast of South America.

Visiting Kourou Magnetic Observatory

As a scientific monitoring station rather than a public attraction, Kourou Magnetic Observatory doesn't offer general visiting hours; anyone interested in its work should contact IPGP directly.

See your named star from here

Kourou Magnetic Observatory tracks the planet beneath your feet rather than the stars above, but French Guiana's clear equatorial nights are still a fine place to look up. If you'd like a personal link to the night sky here, name a star with Star Register and check the star catalogue for its coordinates.