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Stunning Science Image Maps the Magnetic Fields Between Galaxies
The open dataset covers nearly 4 million galaxies and could help researchers study how magnetism shapes galaxy formation and star birth.
- On Thursday, June 4, 2026, astronomers from CSIRO and the SKA Observatory released the largest, most detailed map of cosmic magnetic fields ever produced, using data from the ASKAP radio telescope in Western Australia.
- Previous efforts 17 years ago were limited to the northern hemisphere and could not capture the full Milky Way, but the new SPICE-RACS map captures the southern view to reveal how magnetic structures influence galaxy formation.
- Nearly 4 million galaxies were processed to generate this visualization, which is five times larger than all previous efforts combined, using radio wave polarization to map magnetic strength and direction in red and blue.
- Chief Scientist Professor Naomi McClure-Griffiths explained the publicly available data allows researchers to investigate 'galactic cannibalism' and radioactive 'space weather,' casting light on how magnetic fields govern galaxy evolution.
- Lead researcher Dr. Alec Thomson stated the maps are 'just the start,' with SKA-Low and SKA-Mid observatories currently under construction to enable major breakthroughs in coming years.
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Something strange is happening in the Milky Way’s magnetic field
Deep inside the Milky Way, an invisible force is quietly holding everything together — its magnetic field. Now, researchers have created one of the most detailed maps ever of this hidden structure, revealing surprising twists in how it flows through our galaxy.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left4Leaning Right1Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution45% Left, 44% Center
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources lean Left, 44% of the sources are Center
45% Left
L 45%
C 44%
11%
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