Apparatus for orienting a magnetic object in free space with the aid of magnetic levitation, the apparatus comprising: a magnet array comprising at least three magnets (22a-d) and arranged in a circle around an imaginary axis, which magnet array generates a static magnetic field with an equilibrium location in this field at which the magnetic object can be maintained; sensor means for detecting location deviations between the current location of the magnetic object and the equilibrium location and, based on the result of the sensing operation, for generating and delivering control signals to: a coil array (32a-d) comprised of at least three controllable coils, the coil array generating a controllable magnetic field for maintaining the magnetic object at the equilibrium location, each coil of the coil array being arranged at least partly outside the circle in radial direction from the imaginary axis, wherein the magnetic polarisation of the magnetic object is opposite to that of the magnet array (22a-d), and wherein the number of magnets of the magnet array is equal to the number of coils of the coil array (32a-d), and the magnets of the magnet array and the coils of the coil array are arranged in pairs, characterized in that the magnets (22a-22c) and the coils (32a-32c) are oriented in pairs where each magnet and controllable coil forms a pair, which pairs forming a circumferential or circular pattern. a magnet array comprising at least three magnets (22a-d) and arranged in a circle around an imaginary axis, which magnet array generates a static magnetic field with an equilibrium location in this field at which the magnetic object can be maintained; sensor means for detecting location deviations between the current location of the magnetic object and the equilibrium location and, based on the result of the sensing operation, for generating and delivering control signals to: a coil array (32a-d) comprised of at least three controllable coils, the coil array generating a controllable magnetic field for maintaining the magnetic object at the equilibrium location, each coil of the coil array being arranged at least partly outside the circle in radial direction from the imaginary axis, wherein the magnetic polarisation of the magnetic object is opposite to that of the magnet array (22a-d), and wherein the number of magnets of the magnet array is equal to the number of coils of the coil array (32a-d), and the magnets of the magnet array and the coils of the coil array are arranged in pairs, characterized in that the magnets (22a-22c) and the coils (32a-32c) are oriented in pairs where each magnet and controllable coil forms a pair, which pairs forming a circumferential or circular pattern. a coil array (32a-d) comprised of at least three controllable coils, the coil array generating a controllable magnetic field for maintaining the magnetic object at the equilibrium location, each coil of the coil array being arranged at least partly outside the circle in radial direction from the imaginary axis, wherein the magnetic polarisation of the magnetic object is opposite to that of the magnet array (22a-d), and wherein the number of magnets of the magnet array is equal to the number of coils of the coil array (32a-d), and the magnets of the magnet array and the coils of the coil array are arranged in pairs,