Vostok Magnetic Observatory

Vostok Magnetic Observatory sits deep in the interior of Antarctica, at Russia's Vostok Station, one of the most remote research outposts on Earth, close to the planet's south geomagnetic pole.

About Vostok Magnetic Observatory

Vostok Station was established by the Soviet Union in 1957 in Princess Elizabeth Land. Because it sits near the south geomagnetic pole, the Earth's magnetic field lines point almost straight down here, making it an exceptional site for studying the magnetosphere.

History & research

Vostok holds the record for the lowest reliably measured natural temperature on Earth, -89.2°C. Alongside magnetometry and monitoring of atmospheric magnetic and electrical fields, scientists at the station have carried out extensive ice-core drilling and meteorological observations. A new wintering complex was commissioned there on 28 January 2024.

Location

The station lies roughly 1,301 km from the geographic South Pole, in Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica, making it one of the most isolated research stations anywhere in the world.

Visiting Vostok Magnetic Observatory

Vostok is a working polar research station, not a public attraction, and it is not open for visits. It is staffed year-round by scientific teams who endure some of the harshest conditions on the planet to keep its instruments running.

See your named star from here

Vostok's scientists study Earth's own magnetic field rather than the stars above it, but the same idea of precise coordinates applies to any point in the sky. A star named through star-register.eu comes with exact celestial coordinates that a telescope anywhere on Earth, or even in your own backyard, can be aimed at. Name a star as a gift, or browse the catalogue of named stars.