Description

Ten UK schools will receive magnetometers for teaching after winning a competition arranged by AuroraWatch UK.

AuroraWatch UK organized a competition for schools to win magnetometers to be used for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects). Schools were asked to outline how they would incorporate the instruments into their STEM teaching, and the top ten responses won.

The sensitive magnetometers, designed and built by the Department of Physics, Lancaster University, detect changes in the Earth's magnetic field caused by the electric currents responsible for the aurora borealis. The measurements are sent by radio to a Raspberry Pi computer for processing. The magnetometers will be linked to the AuroraWatch UK alerts system to warn subscribers when the aurora borealis can be seen from the UK.

The competition attracted 165 entrants from all parts of the UK, and these are the winners:

• Brae High School, Shetland.

• Sanday Community School, Sanday, Orkney.

• Tobermory High School, Mull.

• St Benedicts High School, Whitehaven, Cumbria.

• Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham, Cheshire.

• Bishop Heber High School, Malpas, Cheshire.

• Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

• Shelfield, Community Academy, Pelsall, West Midlands.

• Gwernyfed High School, Brecon, Powys.

• Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury, Kent.

http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk