These pages describe the construction of an observatory capable of measuring the earth's magnetic field with a degree of accuracy that allows observation of many events occurring in the magnetosphere. At the heart of the observatory is an extremely sensitive magnetometer using a torsion balance described by Shawn Carlson in the Amateur Scientist column of Scientific American and designed by Roger Baker.
This work has two central goals: the advancement of citizen science and the publication of real-time information through the World Wide Web. The former is accomplished through the detailed recounting of the capture of some experimental data using means readily accessible to a wide audience. The latter follows directly with the publication of that experimental data on Web pages.
The pages here contain many experimental details, lots of images and descriptions, and ongoing results. This is a work-in-progress designed to aid other experimenters with their work in this area. I welcome comments by and discussion with all interested individuals.
