Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have successfully measured magnetic fields in the Sun's corona using a sensitive radio telescope at the Gauribidanur observatory, located 150 million kilometers away. These measurements, which indicate field strengths similar to those of school bar magnets, could help understand solar eruptions affecting Earth.

• 01The IIA team captured the twist in electromagnetic radio waves from the Sun, known as polarisation, with a measurement of approximately 0.01 to 0.02.
• 02The measured magnetic field strengths in the Sun's corona are less than one thousandth of a Tesla.
• 03These measurements are the first direct reports of their kind, showing small magnetic fields can lead to significant solar eruptions.
• 04The Gauribidanur observatory serves as a training ground for students and a testbed for developing new radio astronomy technologies.
• 05Current ground-based and space-based telescopes cannot perform similar measurements in the Sun's corona.

The findings could enhance understanding of solar activity and its effects on satellite operations, potentially improving space weather forecasting.