Magnetic variometer (2 of 2)

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This is part of a variometer, which recorded variations over time of the components of the Earth's magnetic field, from the Observatory set up at Eskdalemuir, near Langholm, by the National Physical Laboratory. The design is known as the Kew Pattern Magnetometer, first described in 1859 by John Welsh (1824-59), Superintendent of the British Association's Kew Observatory in Surrey, which later became the National Physical Laboratory.

This photograph shows one of the three suspended magnets which give variations in declination, and in the horizontal or vertical planes. Their movements were lit by a ray of light, which was recorded in the centre of the apparatus by moving photographic paper. The entire apparatus was kept in a darkened vault underground.

This instrument was considered a standard, and a considerable number were made for observatories all over the world. They were built by Patrick Adie (1821-86) of London, who worked closely with Welsh in developing meteorological and magnetic instruments.

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• Online ID: 000-180-000-998-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland Part 2
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  
• Date: Around 1908
  
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  • For Patrick Adie and the magnetometer, see Clarke, T.N, A.D. Morrison-Low and A.D.C. Simpson. Brass & Glass: Scientific Instrument making Workshops in Scotland. Edinburgh, 1989, pp 75-82. 
  • Stewart, Balfour. An account of the construction of self-recording magnetograph at present in operation at the Kew Observatory of the British Association. Report of the British Association ... 1859. London, 1860, pp 200-20. 
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