New research shows that cosmic magnetic fields play a more dominant role in star formation than previously believed.

Star formation demands that giant clouds of gas and dust collapse inward under the influence of gravity, growing denser and hotter until nuclear fusion is triggered, giving rise to the birth of new stars. Yet only a small fraction of a cloud's material spawns stars.

Magnetic fields and turbulence in the gas clouds are both thought to hinder the gravitational collapse in varying amounts. While magnetic field lines channel flowing gas into distinct directions, turbulence stirs it around and induces an outward force that resists collapse.

Research lead by Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics astronomer Hua-bai Li says that the relative importance of magnetic fields versus turbulence is a matter of much debate. "Our findings serve as the first observational constraint on this issue," he says.

Li and colleagues studied 25 'cloud cores', dense patches of material on the cusps of being transformed into stars, located within molecular clouds up to 6,500 light years from Earth. By studying the polarised light emitted by these cores, the magnetic fields could be measured and compared with the fields in the surrounding tenuous nebulae.

The result had a very clear conclusion: since the magnetic fields were observed to line up in the same direction despite the relative size scales (one light year cores versus 1,000 light year nebulas) and relative densities, and since turbulence would be expected to churn up the magnetic fields into different directions, magnetic fields must therefore reign as the dominant property in counter-acting gravitational forces during star birth.

"Our result shows that molecular cloud cores located near each other are connected not only by gravity but also by magnetic fields," says Li. "This shows that computer simulations modelling star formation must take strong magnetic fields into account."

The new result, which has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, will add vital pieces to the puzzle of how our Universe came to look the way it does today.

The Planets
From tiny Mercury to distant Neptune and Pluto, The Planets profiles each of the Solar System's members in depth, featuring the latest imagery from space missions. The tallest mountains, the deepest canyons, the strongest winds, raging atmospheric storms, terrain studded with craters and vast worlds of ice are just some of the sights you'll see on this 100-page tour of the planets.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

Hubble Reborn
Hubble Reborn takes the reader on a journey through the Universe with spectacular full-colour pictures of galaxies, nebulae, planets and stars as seen through Hubble's eyes, along the way telling the dramatic story of the space telescope, including interviews with key scientists and astronauts.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

3D Universe
Witness the most awesome sights of the Universe as they were meant to be seen in this 100-page extravaganza of planets, galaxies and star-scapes, all in 3D!
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

This special publication features the photography of British astro-imager Nik Szymanek and covers a range of photographic methods from basic to advanced. Beautiful pictures of the night sky can be obtained with a simple camera and tripod before tackling more difficult projects, such as guided astrophotography through the telescope and CCD imaging.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

Explore the Universe with these new versions of the award-winning Starry Night Software. Available now from the Astronomy Now Store.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

Astronomy Now is pleased to announce the publication of Exploring Mars. The very best images of Mars taken by orbiting spacecraft and NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers fill up the 98 glossy pages of this special edition!
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE