Post

ESO
@eso.org

Using our VLT and the Gemini North telescope, astronomers have measured the strength of #exoplanets ’ magnetic fields for the first time. These fields turned out to be comparable to those found in our Solar System. More: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2606/ 🔭 🧪 #exoplanets

33 reposts66 likes

ClimateBook
@climatebook.bsky.social

This is an interesting study, but the ESO headline is not really accurate. This is not a measurement of magnetic fields which remains elusive. This is a measurement of atmospheric winds for a number of gassy planets, which is interesting enough in itself. The inference about magnetic fields

ClimateBook
@climatebook.bsky.social

comes from a trend of slower winds for hotter planets, but while magnetic drag effects are one plausible mechanism for that, it's far from definitive, as there are a lot of possible surprises in hot Jupiter general circulation and drag mechanisms. A more descriptive headline would be ...

ESO
@eso.org

Thanks for the comment. You're right that the observations directly measure atmospheric winds, while the magnetic field strengths are inferred from them. That's also closer to the wording used in the press release than in our social post. We appreciate the additional nuance.