  We detail the design and operation of a compact, discharge light polarimeter
for metastability exchange optical pumping of 3He gas near 1 torr under a low
magnetic field. The nuclear polarization of 3He can be discerned from its
electron polarization, measured via the circular polarization of 668 nm
discharge light from an RF excitation. This apparatus measures the circular
polarization of this very dim discharge light using a nematic liquid crystal
wave retarder (LCR) and a high-gain, transimpedance amplified Si photodiode. We
outline corrections required in such a measurement, and discuss contributions
to its systematic error.
