magnetic field
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.…
Both Uranus and Neptune Have Really Bizarre Magnetic Fields
The magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune are really, seriously messed up. And we don't know why. (more…)
Scientists in Japan Have Found a Detailed Record of the Earth’s Last Magnetic Reversal, 773,000 Years Ago
Every 200,000 to 300,000 years Earth's magnetic poles reverse. What was once the north pole becomes the south, and vice…
Astronomers Measure a 1-billion Tesla Magnetic Field on the Surface of a Neutron Star
We recently observed the strongest magnetic field ever recorded in the Universe. The record-breaking field was discovered at the surface…