Reversing Magnetic Poles Observed in Another Star

Babu 'God' Hoover tips us to news out of the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy that for the first time, a magnetic pole reversal has been observed in a star other than our own. Tau Bootis, while similar to the Sun, also has a planet more than six times larger than Jupiter orbiting at only a twentieth of the distance between Earth and the Sun. Scientists hope to use this discovery to learn more about the magnetic dynamics in the Sun, which can affect our telecommunications, among other things.

Re:Hooraayyyy

[LighterShadeOfBlack]

Right. But in the meantime we have to go ahead with the knowledge we have, safe in the knowledge that even if we are by some twist of fate completely wrong about the causes of climate change that we have at least weaned ourselves off fossil fuels in the meantime.

Going on the assumption that man is causing climate change means we win either way, doing nothing in the hope that we're somehow wrong means that the very best possible outcome is that we're still completely dependant on fossil fuels in 50 or 100 years time. And the worst possible outcome doesn't bear thinking about. So, while it's all well and good to say we should be investigate every possible cause of climate change, there is absolutely no excuse for us to not be acting now to minimise our our impact on the environment.

How did they find out?

[Fëanáro]

The article is a bit light on details.

How can we actually detect the magnetic field of another star?
I thought that the distance is certainly too big to observe it directly, and we barely have the resolution to tell that there is a planet there at all.

Re:What?

[sumdumass]

Why would you bring up climate change? We've known for many years that the Sun flips its magnetic field every 11 years or so. This is simply the first time we've observed it in another star. The flipping of Sol's magnetic field causes a change in the number and size of sunspots which do affect solar output. This has been taken into account with climate models that show the earth is warming due to human influence. This news story offers absolutely no information pertinent to climate change.

I'm going to take a guess as to why he brought it up. There are some people who claim solar activity is behind global warming. There are others that have extended that to beyond our sun and made the claim that we are actually seeing warmth coming from other stars, quasars, cosmic rays, and other unique fun stuff in space.

Now what I find interesting is that the flip happened somewhat close to our own sun's flip even though it was 50 some years ago. Coincidence to connection? Could it be that an outside force causes the poles to reverse? And if so, is it another sun or is there something more powerful then that in the grand scheme of things. Can something emitted from that sun travel faster then the speed of light? or faster enough to get her 2 or 3 month sooner over a 50 year period of time? I'm sure a lot of these answers have already been answered but have the answers been examined in this context? I find it fascinating that with all we know, it can be asked and hopefully, within the time of the next observed flip, be answered. And no, I'm not claiming this does or doesn't have anything to do with global warming. I'm just curious if there is another force out there that we are tied to in some of the most discrete ways.