Tag

Magnetic Fields

All articles tagged with #magnetic fields

science5 days ago•222 min saved

Astronomers Confirm First Direct Radio Signal from Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b

Researchers from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian and the University of Oregon have reported the first direct detection of radio emission from an exoplanet, Beta Pictoris b. Located approximately 63 to 64 light-years from Earth, this gas giant exhibits auroral radio bursts similar to those seen on Earth and Jupiter. The discovery, which was submitted to arXiv on September 15, 2026, indicates a magnetic field strength of at least 1,250 gauss, significantly stronger than Earth's 0.5 gauss. While the signal is not evidence of intelligent life, it provides the first direct measurement of an exoplanet's magnetic field and offers new insights into planetary atmospheres and habitability.

via Ground News|

#astronomy #exoplanets #magnetic-fields

science6 days ago•1 min saved

MeerKAT Telescope Confirms First Direct Radio Detection from Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b

Astronomers have confirmed the first direct radio signal detection from an exoplanet, Beta Pictoris b. Using South Africa’s MeerKAT array, researchers identified auroral emissions indicating a magnetic field over 1,000 times stronger than Earth’s. This discovery provides a new method to measure planetary magnetism and assess habitability, distinct from signals attributed to intelligent life.

via bgr.com|

#astronomy #exoplanets #magnetic-fields

science7 days ago•215 min saved

MeerKAT Telescope Captures First Confirmed Radio Signal from Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b

Astronomers have detected the first unambiguous radio emission from an exoplanet, Beta Pictoris b, located 63 light-years away. The signal, captured by South Africa's MeerKAT telescope, indicates a massive magnetic field and auroral activity, marking a milestone in directly characterizing planetary magnetism outside our solar system.

via CNN|

#astronomy #exoplanets #magnetic-fields

science-and-technology11 days ago•7 min saved

Harvard Team Pinpoints Radio Emissions from Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b

Researchers from Harvard and the University of Oregon have detected radio signals directly from the exoplanet Beta Pictoris b, marking the first time such emissions have been localized to a planet outside our solar system. The signals, captured by the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa, are attributed to natural magnetic activity rather than extraterrestrial life. This discovery allows scientists to measure the planet's magnetic field strength, which is over 300 times stronger than Jupiter's, and confirms the planet's young, massive nature.

via Hackaday|

#beta-pictoris #exoplanets #magnetic-fields

science16 days ago•0 min saved

MeerKAT Telescope Confirms First Radio Signal from Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b

Astronomers have detected the first unambiguous radio signals from an exoplanet, Beta Pictoris b, using South Africa’s MeerKAT telescope. The signals, likely caused by auroral activity, reveal a magnetic field roughly 1,250 gauss, thousands of times stronger than Earth’s. This breakthrough allows scientists to study planetary magnetic fields and atmospheric interactions directly, moving beyond simple detection to characterize distant worlds.

via Gizmodo|

#astronomy #auroras #exoplanets

science16 days ago•2 min saved

Removing Earth's Magnetic Field Extends Lifespan in Parkinson's Flies but Hurts Healthy Ones

A study in Aging found that blocking Earth's magnetic field extends the lifespan of fruit flies with a Parkinson's-linked gene defect by 20 percent but reduces their mobility. Conversely, healthy flies experienced shorter lifespans but improved mobility. Researchers at the University of Nottingham used quantum diamond sensors to observe changes in mitochondrial energy metabolism, suggesting the geomagnetic field significantly influences cellular physiology and aging.

via 404 Media|

#aging #fruit-flies #magnetic-fields

space1 month ago•47 min saved

Pulsed magnets edge closer to magnetic aerobraking for spacecraft reentry

Tokyo Metropolitan University researchers built a pulsed air-core electromagnet that produced up to 1.58 tesla in miniature spacecraft models under high-speed shock conditions (~7.7 km/s) in an expansion-tube setup, increasing the glow-emitting shock layer by about 16% and showing magnetic fields could someday help reduce heat transfer and tailor shielding for reusable spacecraft—though this remains a laboratory tool, not a flight-ready heat shield.

via The Brighter Side of News|

#expansion-tube #magnetic-fields #magnetohydrodynamic-aerobraking

science2 months ago•9 min saved

Tiny vortex storms revealed on the Sun by the world’s largest solar telescope

Researchers using the 4‑meter Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope imaged Kelvin‑Helmholtz vortexes at 416 nm on the Sun’s surface, showing 60–100 km spacing and 25–170 km-diameter structures that can grow quickly and travel 0.67–3 km/s. The observations, aided by high-speed imaging and advanced deconvolution, suggest a new mechanism for heat, mass, and magnetic-energy transport in the solar atmosphere and may affect convection and corona heating models. The study combines telescope data with simulations to confirm the effect, but is based on a short (about 3 minutes) observation window and calls for longer, magnetic-field–map measurements to fully quantify energy budgets.

via Ars Technica|

#kelvin-helmholtz-instability #magnetic-fields #science

space3 months ago•15 min saved

Ice Giants Remain Unsolved: Why Uranus and Neptune Need a Return Mission

Voyager 2’s 1986 and 1989 flybys gave the first close look at Uranus and Neptune, but no orbiter has followed to study them over time. Key questions about their interiors, the peculiar tilted and offset magnetic fields, and the small, elusive rings and moons remain, in part because a flyby captures only a moment. A future Uranus Orbiter and Probe could map gravity and magnetism, monitor atmospheres, and test for subsurface oceans, advancing our understanding of ice giants and informing exoplanet science.

via Space Daily|

#magnetic-fields #neptune #rings

science3 months ago•5 min saved

Close‑in planet’s magnetic bond lights up its star’s chromosphere

Astronomers studying the nearby red dwarf GJ 436 and its 2.6‑day, roughly four‑Earth‑mass planet found periodic brightenings in the star’s chromosphere that align with the planet’s orbit, likely caused by magnetic fields linking the two bodies. A model that also factors in the star’s rotation and surface activity explains a slight lag between the signal and the orbit. The study suggests the planet has a magnetic field of at least 6 gauss (around 10× Earth’s, similar to Jupiter’s), indicating that magnetic star–planet interactions may be a common way to probe exoplanet magnetism across close‑in systems.

via Ars Technica|

#chromosphere #exoplanets #gj-436

health3 months ago•3 min saved

AirPods and Heart Implants: How to Listen Safely

A 2022 study found that the magnetic fields from AirPods and similar devices can trigger magnet-safe modes in implanted cardiovascular devices (pacemakers and defibrillators), potentially impairing arrhythmia detection. While not a blanket ban on using AirPods, cardiologists and FDA guidance urge keeping devices at least six inches away from CIDs, avoiding carrying electronics in chest pockets, and consulting a physician if dizziness, fainting, or other heart symptoms occur.

via Engadget|

#airpods #cardiovascular-implantable-devices #fda-guidance

science4 months ago•36 min saved

Magnetic Weather Detected on Distant Giant Exoplanets

Astronomers using the Very Large Telescope and Gemini North studied seven hot giant exoplanets and found a surprising link between wind speeds and temperature: the hottest worlds have slower winds, explained by strong magnetic fields acting as brakes. The inferred magnetic fields are about four times stronger than Saturn’s and roughly half as strong as Jupiter’s, a finding that could affect atmospheric retention and planetary survival, and possibly hint at spectacular auroral activity. The work opens a new window for exoplanet research, with future observatories like the Extremely Large Telescope expected to extend these methods to Earth-sized worlds.

via Earth.com|

#astronomy #auroras #exoplanets

space4 months ago•69 min saved

Backyard astrophotographer captures Godzilla-scale solar plume at the sun’s edge (video)

Backyard astrophotographer Mark Johnston captured two timelapse views of solar prominences at the sun’s edge: a May 22, 2026 event showing plasma streams that appear to fall back as coronal rain, and a May 31, 2026 'Godzilla'-like plume looming above the solar surface. He explains the motion is driven by the Sun’s magnetic fields and gravity rather than flame. Filmed from Scottsdale, Arizona using a 160mm refractor with a hydrogen-alpha filter, the footage highlights giant plasma structures tethered by magnetic field lines and serves as a reminder to observe the Sun only with certified filters.

via Space|

#astrophotography #coronal-rain #magnetic-fields

science4 months ago•12 min saved

Unprecedented map reveals the universe’s magnetic fields in stunning detail

Australian researchers using the ASKAP radio telescope have produced SPICE-RACS, the largest and most detailed map of cosmic magnetic fields to date. By analyzing polarisation in radio light from about 350,000 galaxies (out of ~4 million detected in the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Surveys), the map traces magnetic fields ranging from our Milky Way to distant structures, with red and blue hues indicating field direction. The data, which is publicly available, will help scientists study how magnetic fields influence galaxy evolution and the history of the universe. The project is a collaboration centered on the POSSUM and RACS surveys, and researchers aim to expand the map by combining all RACS data; next-generation SKA precursors and the POSSUM project are expected to run through 2030.

via The Conversation|

#astronomy #magnetic-fields #possum

astronomy4 months ago•73 min saved

First Signs of Exoplanet Magnetic Fields Seen in Furious Winds

Astronomers using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and Gemini North measured wind speeds on seven tidally locked, hot Jupiter–like exoplanets and found winds up to 15,530 mph, offering the first direct evidence of magnetic fields around planets beyond the solar system. The winds appear to slow with higher planetary temperatures due to magnetospheric braking, allowing researchers to infer magnetic-field strengths—roughly four times Saturn’s and about half Jupiter’s. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, imply these worlds could host dramatic auroras and provide a new way to study exoplanet magnetospheres and atmospheric evolution.

via Space|

#astronomy #auroras #exoplanets