magnetometer
/ˌmæɡ.nəˈtɒm.ɪ.tər/
Definition
A scientific instrument used to measure the strength and direction of magnetic fields in the space environment through which a spacecraft travels.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'magnes' (magnet) and 'metron' (measure), combined with the suffix '-meter'. It entered English usage in the early 19th century to describe devices built for quantifying magnetic forces.
In the news
In the article, the magnetometer is identified as one of the few remaining functional instruments still operating on the aging Voyager 1 spacecraft, allowing it to continue collecting data despite its distance. It is crucial because it helps scientists monitor the spacecraft's local magnetic environment in interstellar space.
NASA has calculated, to the precise second, when Voyager 1 will be exactly one light-day from Earth: 2:16 a.m. on 18 November 2026, at a distance of 16,094,799,096 miles — a number that would have been science fiction when the probe launched in 1977
Read the full article ↗Space Daily