First detection of magnetic field in distant galaxies

A team of California astronomers has obtained the first direct measurement of magnetic field ( atleast 10 times greater than the average value in the Milky Way) from a distant galaxy (DLA-3C286) as it appeared about 6.5 billion years ago, using the Green Bank Telescope operated by NRAO . They speculate that they might be seeing the interior regions of the massive galaxy where the magnetic fields are supposed to be greater or might be due to a shock wave generated by the collision of two galaxies (discovery is featured in the Oct 2 issue of Nature). Read the detailed news here.