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Instrument class · Magnetic field strength & direction

Magnetometer

An instrument that measures magnetic fields, revealing a planet's internal dynamo, a moon's hidden ocean, or the structure of the solar wind and magnetospheres.

Instruments of this class

  • Cassini Magnetometer (MAG)Instrument

    Cassini's magnetometer, which mapped Saturn's magnetic field and detected the field perturbation that first revealed Enceladus's dynamic atmosphere and plumes, prompting the closer flybys.

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

  • ESAEuropean Space Agency

    European missions, observatories, and space science imagery.