Science Release: Strange Winds Reveal Strongest Hints Yet of Magnetic Activity in Exoplanets

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.