magnetic field
An Astronomical First! A Radiation Belt Seen Outside the Solar System
For the first time, a team of astronomers has imaged the radiation belt of an object from beyond the Solar…
It's Time for Mysterious Spokes to Appear in Saturn's Rings
The Hubble Space Telescope recently captured the appearance of several asymmetrical ‘spokes’ rising above the rings of Saturn, marking a…
You’re Looking at a Map of the Milky Way’s Magnetic Field
Using telescopes that study the sky in the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum, astronomers have successfully mapped the structure…
Marsquakes are Caused by Shifting Magma
Before the InSight Lander arrived on Mars, scientists could only estimate what the planet's internal structure might be. Its size,…
We Might Know Why Mars Lost its Magnetic Field
Mars is a parched planet ruled by global dust storms. It's also a frigid world, where night-time winter temperatures fall…
An Exoplanet Found Protected by a Magnetosphere
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers has spotted the magnetosphere of an exoplanet for the first…
Why do Uranus and Neptune Have Magnetic Fields? Hot ice
The outer “ice giant” planets, Neptune and Uranus, have plenty of mysteries. One of the biggest is where exactly they…
Does Mercury Have a big Iron Core Because it’s so Close to the Sun’s Magnetic Field?
Magnetic fields are great for lots of things - directing explorers, levitating trains, and containing nuclear fusion reactions are just…
Astronomers Confirm the Existence of Magnetic Waves in the Sun’s Photosphere
For the first time astronomers have observed waves of magnetic energy, known as Alfvén waves, in the photosphere of the…
How can White Dwarfs Produce Such Powerful Magnetic Fields?
White dwarfs have some surprisingly strong magnetic fields, and one team of astronomers may have finally found the reason why.…