Magnetic fields have been detected for the first time in three massive stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. This discovery is significant as it offers insights into the role of magnetism in star formation and evolution, particularly in galaxies with young stellar populations. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Magnetic fields have been discovered in three massive, hot stars within our neighboring galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, for the first time. Although magnetic fields in massive stars are not new to our own galaxy, their detection in the Magellanic Clouds is particularly significant due to the abundance of young, massive stars in these galaxies.
Most massive star-forming region NGC346 in the Small Magellanic Cloud in the constellation Toucan in the southern starry sky located some 200,000 light years away from Earth. Credit: NASA, ESA, Andi James Stellar magnetic fields are measured using spectropolarimetry. For this circularly polarised starlight is recorded and the smallest changes in spectral lines are investigated. However, in order to achieve the necessary“The method is extremely hungry for photons.