Niemegk Magnetic Observatory

Niemegk Magnetic Observatory, near Niemegk in Germany, has kept a continuous record of the Earth's magnetic field since it opened in 1930, a run now stretching well over ninety years.

About Niemegk Magnetic Observatory

Officially named the Adolf Schmidt Observatory from the start, it opened on 23 July 1930, chosen deliberately as geomagnetician Adolf Schmidt's seventieth birthday. A dedicated observatory station began operating there in 1932.

History

Niemegk is one of three geomagnetic observatories, alongside Potsdam and Seddin, that together form a measurement series stretching back to 1890, more than 130 years of uninterrupted data. Since 1 January 1992 the site has been part of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.

Instruments & monitoring

The observatory is a member of INTERMAGNET, the international network of geomagnetic observatories, and its long, high-quality data series is a recognised reference for geomagnetic base research.

Location & getting there

The site sits near Niemegk in Brandenburg, Germany, at an elevation of 78 metres.

Visiting Niemegk Magnetic Observatory

As a scientific research station rather than a public attraction, Niemegk Magnetic Observatory is best contacted through GFZ Potsdam for any visiting enquiries.

See your named star from here

Niemegk's instruments watch the Earth rather than the stars, but the night sky above Brandenburg is the same one a Star Register star occupies. Find your named star's coordinates in our catalogue, or browse our packages to name one.