Magnetic levitation was used to stabilize cylindrical columns of a paramagnetic liquid in air between two solid supports. The maximum achievable length to diameter ratioRmaxwas ∼(3.10±0.07), very close to the Rayleigh–Plateau limit of &pgr;. For smallerR, the stability of the column was measured as a function of the Bond number, which could becontinuouslyvaried by adjusting the strength of the magnetic field. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.