A magnetometer is an instrument that can detect small changes in magnetic fields. When solar flares occur the earth's magnetic field can be temporarily modified and this can been detected and then displayed by using such a device. A very simple one can be constructed. Such a device was designed by Professor Alexander McWilliams of the University of Minnesota and I built mine using his basic design. Below are some pictures of the enclosure and initial construction. A few more pictures will follow showing the completed unit.
See this link for a possible construction plan: Link to magnetometer information
"Needle" suspended on guitar string in oil damping cup. Besides the "needle" all other materials are wood, aluminum or brass, i.e. NO STEEL or IRON.
Torque adjuster--a PVC "tee". The ends are covered with duct tape to prevent and drafts or dust from entering.
Bottom of torque adjuster. The PVC is held firmly by the lock ring. Yes the lock ring is steel but its location to the rest of the detector will have no significant effect on the magnetic field.
The occulting shade end. The oil cup and vane and occulting shade are made from aluminum soda cans. Wash and cut with a heavy pair of sizzers. Most of the pieces have the edges folded over to reduce the shape cutting edges.
#12 Copper wire that was formed and soldered to support the photoresisters and LEDs used to illuminate them.
Here it is set up in the basement with the cover in place. It is set on blocks because I get a little water at times.
I put this picture in for some important information: You would think that setting on the stub wall of cinder blocks would work. But the driveway is about 10 feet outside this wall and when the car goes in and out the dirt moves the wall enough to make my magnetometer a seismometer. Not funny or useful so down to the floor it went. It works great there!
The power and data signal connections
The circuit board. The bottom heat sink converts an 8 volt DC into 5 volt DC for a stable voltage for the LEDs and the bridge circuit to return a voltage for data processing.
Here you see the frame I made from the #12 wire to mount the LEDs and photo resisters (which are mounted upside down). Even though the photo resisters don't have peak sensitivity at RED they worked fine and are very sensitive for my application.
Here you can see the oil cup filled with baby oil and the damping vane in the oil.
I applied polyurethane to the wood as a weather proofing. It also made a good surface for the duct tape to adhere. In order to level everything and make sure nothing rubbed you will notice that the oil cup didn't end up exactly where I measured and expected it to be.