Magnetic Fingerprint | Space Wallpaper

By Space.com Staff
published

Milky Way's Magnetic Fingerprint
This fascinating space wallpaper shows 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 polarized light emitted by interstellar dust in the Milky Way. (Image credit: ESA and the Planck Collaboration)

This fascinating space wallpaper shows 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 polarized light emitted by interstellar dust in the Milky Way. The magnetic field is displayed using a visualization technique called line integral convolution (LIC).

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.