St John's Magnetic Observatory

St John's Magnetic Observatory stands in Newfoundland and Labrador, on Canada's Atlantic coast, quietly measuring the planet's magnetic field rather than the night sky above it. Run by the Government of Canada, it is one of a small network of stations that has tracked the Earth's magnetism for more than half a century.

About St John's Magnetic Observatory

Despite the name "observatory," this is a geomagnetic monitoring station rather than an astronomical one. It is operated by the Government of Canada's Geological Survey of Canada as part of a nationwide network that measures how the Earth's magnetic field changes across timescales from seconds to decades. The site is built from a scattering of small, non-magnetic buildings and sensor huts spaced at least 30 metres apart, including two purpose-built structures housing electronics racks and an observation pier, plus five prefabricated shelters that each hold a sensor. Keeping everything spread out and free of magnetic materials protects the sensitive readings from interference.

History

The observatory was established on 1 August 1968 and has operated continuously since, contributing its data to Canada's long-running effort to understand the planet's shifting magnetic field.

Location & getting there

The station sits in Newfoundland and Labrador, in eastern Canada, part of the North America region covered by our star-naming service. Its coordinates place it near St. John's, on the Avalon Peninsula overlooking the Atlantic.

Visiting St John's Magnetic Observatory

As a working scientific monitoring station rather than a public attraction, the site is not set up for casual visits or stargazing. If you would like to know more about its research, the Government of Canada's geomagnetism program is the best starting point online.

See your named star from here

Even though this particular observatory watches the ground rather than the stars, the coordinates of any star you name through star-register.eu can still be found from Newfoundland and Labrador on a clear night. Browse the star catalogue or choose a naming package to get the right ascension and declination for your star, then point a telescope at them from wherever you are under this sky.