View towards the north of Nain. The airport and weather station are at left.

A permanent settlement at Nain was established by Moravian missionary Jens Haven in 1771. Nain is the northernmost town in Labrador. It is home to about 1,000 people, predominantly Inuit and Kablunangajuk.

Nain was chosen as a Spaceship Earth station because of its viewing direction and good directional sensitivity. It views cosmic rays which started out (before being deflected northward by Earth's magnetic field) heading in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa.

A team from the University of Delaware visited Nain in May 1998 and confirmed the suitability of the site. The neutron monitor was constructed during two subsequent visits in September 1999 and November 2000. First data from the Nain neutron monitor were recorded November 10, 2000 at 19:21:40 UT.

More on constructing Nain neutron monitor (many photos).

More Photos

• Waiting for the thaw.
• Moravian church.

Links

• Nain Weather.
• Profile of Nain.
• Moravian mission. Jens Havens's account of Moravian missionary activity in Labrador, including founding of Nain in 1771.

Tech photos