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How to Monitor the Changes in Earth's Magnetic Sphere

The magnetic field that forms a shell around the Earth is in constant flux due to solar storms and the inconsistencies of the molten metal at the planet's core. These variations can be monitored through the use of a simple magnetometer that records the orientation of the geomagnetic north pole versus a fixed object, like a wall. A simple magnetometer can be built from a few pieces and unlock clues about the invisible forces of space.

Things You'll Need

1 two-liter plastic bottle
2 pounds of playground sand
24 inches of thread or string
1 small bar magnet, 5 inches or shorter
3 by 5 inch notecard
1 inch piece of straw
1 mirror sequin from a dress or other small, reflective surface
Super glue
Clear tape
Tape measure
Laser pointer
Binder clip
Blocks of wood
Scissors
Awl

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the top off of the bottle with the scissors about 5 inches from the top.
- 2
  Use the awl to punch a hole in the lid of the bottle.
- 3
  Put the sand into the bottom half of the bottle.
- 4
  Test-fit the notecard in the bottle. Trim off enough so that you can hold the card inside the bottle and have it not touch the edges.
- 5
  Affix the magnet to the top middle of the notecard so that the north side of the magnet points to the left and the south side points to the right. Glue the straw to the top of the magnet in the middle. Glue the sequin to the middle of the notecard.
- 6
  Run the thread through the straw, and then bring both sides of the thread together. Adjust the length of the sides until the notecard hangs level. Tie the strings together at that point, and then take the remainder of the thread and feed it through the hole in the bottle cap.
- 7
  Place the top of the bottle onto the bottom. Align the side and then use clear tape to reattach the top to the bottom.
- 8
  Pull up on the thread so that the card hangs freely in the bottle without touching anything. Glue the thread to the top of the bottle cap. Cut off any excess.
- 9
  Open the jaws of the binder clip, and insert the laser pointer. Align the pointer so that that the clip presses the button to turn on the laser. Flip out the metal arms of the binder clip so it can lay flat and hold up the laser pointer.
- 10
  Set blocks of wood under the laser pointer until it is the same height as the sequin in the bottle. Carefully aim the laser at the sequin.
- 11
  Mark the spot on the wall where the laser is reflected by the sequin. Take readings regularly to monitor the changes in the Earth's magnetic sphere. Compare the orientation of your magnet to geographic north. The difference between the magnetic North Pole and the geographic North Pole shows the variations in the magnetic sphere of the Earth. The molten metal core of the planet varies as it rotates, which causes differences in the readings. Additionally, solar winds and solar flares can disrupt the magnetic field and register different readings. Compare the readings to the reports of solar activity to look for any correlations.

Astronomy