Planck takes magnetic fingerprint of our Galaxy

Our Galaxy's magnetic field is revealed in a new image from ESA's Planck satellite. This image was compiled from the first all-sky observations of 'polarised' light emitted by interstellar dust in the Milky Way.

The magnetic field of our Milky Way Galaxy as seen by ESA's Planck satellite. This image was compiled from the first all-sky observations of polarised light emitted by interstellar dust in the Milky Way - Credits: ESA and the Planck Collaboration

Light is a very familiar form of energy and yet some of its properties are all but hidden to everyday human experience. One of these - polarisation - carries a wealth of information about what happened along a light ray's path, and can be exploited by astronomers. Light can be described as a series of waves of electric and magnetic fields that vibrate in directions that are at right angles to each other and to their direction of travel.

Usually, these fields can vibrate at all orientations. However, if they happen to vibrate preferentially in certain directions, we say the light is 'polarised'. This can happen, for example, when light bounces off a reflective surface like a mirror or the sea. Special filters can be used to absorb this polarised light, which is how polarised sunglasses eliminate glare.

In space, the light emitted by stars, gas and dust can also be polarised in various ways. By measuring the amount of polarisation in this light, astronomers can study the physical processes that caused the polarisation. In particular, polarisation may reveal the existence and properties of magnetic fields in the medium light has travelled through.

The map presented here was obtained using detectors on Planck that acted as the astronomical equivalent of polarised sunglasses. Swirls, loops and arches in this new image trace the structure of the magnetic field in our home galaxy, the Milky Way.

Read the complete news on ESA's website.