NOIRLab - Strong Hints of Magnetic Fields On Exoplanets

The 365 Days of Astronomy · Jun 13, 2026 · 10m

Using the Gemini North telescope in Hawai'i and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, a team of astronomers measured wind speeds on seven very hot, Jupiter-like exoplanets. The observations revealed that the winds on these planets are most likely governed by magnetic fields, providing the first robust measurement of magnetic activity on planets outside the Solar System. In this podcast, Dr. Hayley Beltz describes how these magnetic fields were discovered from observations using data from the Gemini North telescope in Hawai'i and the European Southern Observatory's Very…