Astronomers discover exoplanets with magnetic fields
The winds were slower on hotter planets, leading astronomers to infer magnetic fields on seven ultra-hot Jupiters for the first time.
- On Tuesday, astronomers published a study in Nature Astronomy revealing magnetic fields around seven hot Jupiters, identified by observing wind speeds that were unexpectedly slower than theoretical models predicted.
- Hotter planets typically generate stronger winds because they possess more energy, but the team found the opposite trend, suggesting magnetic fields act as a braking mechanism on atmospheric charged particles.
- Using the Very Large Telescope and Gemini North telescope, researchers measured wind speeds reaching up to 25,000 km/h on these worlds, providing the first population-level data on exoplanet magnetic environments.
- This breakthrough allows scientists to compare the magnetic environments of other worlds, a critical step toward understanding which planets can maintain atmospheres, keep their water, and potentially host life.
- Most planets in our Solar System, including Jupiter and Earth, possess magnetic fields, while Mars lost its field billions of years ago, resulting in a tenuous atmosphere and inhospitable landscape.
40 Articles
40 Articles
How distant planets with 15,000mph winds could change hunt for life in space
An illustration of a planet with a strong magnetic field outside of the solar system. Intense heat on the star-facing side and cold temperatures on the opposite side drive fast winds across the world (Picture: ESO/M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada/Cover Media) Astronomers have found the strongest evidence yet that planets beyond our solar system possess magnetic fields, solving an important question in the study of distant worlds. Using the European Sou…
Exoplanetary Weather Watchers Find Strong Evidence of Magnetic Fields
Astronomers studying wind speeds on distant exoplanets have discovered weather systems driven by magnetic fields, rather than the largely hydrodynamic weather patterns observed on Earth. This discovery is among the best evidence yet for the existence of magnetic fields on exoplanets.
'Totally counterintuitive': Scientists accidentally discover magnetic fields around 7 distant planets, opening new window in the search for life
In an astronomical first, researchers have measured the magnetic fields of seven "hot Jupiter" planets beyond our solar system — adding new clues in the search for alien life.
Scientists left astonished by groundbreaking phenomenon on faraway planets
Astronomers have secured the most compelling evidence yet that planets orbiting distant stars possess magnetic fields, mirroring a characteristic shared by Earth and five other worlds in our own solar system. The breakthrough stems from observations of wind patterns across seven massive gas giants known as "hot Jupiters", conducted using telescopes located in Chile and Hawaii.Published today in the journal Nature Astronomy, the research demonstr…
'Hot Jupiter' winds blasting at over 15,000 mph reveal 1st evidence of exoplanets with magnetic fields
Astronomers have discovered the first evidence of magnetic worlds beyond the solar system thanks to their high-speed, violent winds, representing a major step forward in exoplanet research.
Exoplanets with magnetic fields discovered
Based on the behaviour of winds on seven large and hot gas exoplanets, astronomers have obtained the strongest evidence to date that planets beyond our solar system possess magnetic fields, like Earth and five other planets in our solar system. The finding, based on observations by telescopes in Chile and Hawaii, deepens the understanding of exoplanets by showing that at least some share an important characteristic present in all but two of the …
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