Hydrometer reading

[Ceedee]

Something I've always been unsure about...see photo

https://imgur.com/a/9Au6DvN

For the hydrometer reading of 1040 for example, is the '40' mark at the line under the 40 or the mark to the left of it ? I used to read to the left, but then thought whats the purpose of the line under it? If it's the line under the 40, then I've missed my target gravity of 1046 :-(

[Phil.cork]

Pretty sure you read it from the point where the liquid is flat across the top (lower meniscus this wikipedia explains better than me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meniscus_(liquid)) that would make this look like 1046 to me although difficult to tell exactly as you should be reading it at eye level.
The 1040 refers to the line below the 40 mark to directly answer your question.

I'm not that experienced a brewer so happy to be corrected on this

[irish_goat]

For an ABV reading it doesn't matter as long as you use the same method for OG and FG surely?

[Ceedee]

For an ABV reading it doesn't matter as long as you use the same method for OG and FG surely?

Yep, I've always read "across" for OG and FG, so no prob for ABV calculations. Was brewing the "Patersbier" from Greg Hughes' book at the weekend and was chuffed that I hit the OG of 1046 bang on, until a "helpful" friend pointed out that it was actually 1044.

[Phil.cork]

True so long as the same both ways. Leaving cert chemistry teacher shouting at us how to read them makes me unable to do it any other way. Not psychologically scarred at all though I swear

[SprocketFuel]

easy way to work out where the marks should be is use water......1.000 and the bottom of the section then 1.040 is the bottom of the section

[molc]

Its the line around 990 that makes it so confusing to read - I was doing the same thing for years myself! Now I read to the long line below the number after doing a water test.