These joint efforts support the pathfinder for ngVLA technologies, focusing on very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) capabilities that enable ultra-sharp imaging of the Universe.
Recent News
Astronomers Detect Magnetic Fingerprint of a Cosmic Explosion for the First Time
Using the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) radio telescope, which is operated by the U. S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO), the team detected polarized light from a gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow for the first time at radio wavelengths.
NSF VLA Sky Survey Sets New Standard for High-Resolution, Wide-Area Radio Astronomy
The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) has completed observations for the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS), the most detailed radio survey of the sky ever conducted.
Groundbreaking Magnetic Field Discovery Near Massive Protostar
Schematic of circular polarization being detected in radio waves from a massive protostar surrounded by a disk and driving a bipolar jet. This is an artistic image, not drawn to scale. Credit: AG Cheriyan/IIST
The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) proudly announces a major breakthrough in our understanding of star formation, thanks to the unparalleled capabilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (NSF VLA). An international team, led by astronomers from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has for the first time detected circular polarization in radio emission originating from a massive protostar, IRAS 18162-2048—unveiling fresh clues about the cosmic forces shaping our universe.
Circularly polarized radio waves have been directly observed from a young, massive protostar, a phenomenon previously recorded only near black holes and low-mass protostars, demonstrating a new link between diverse cosmic environments. This rare signal, detected using the NSF VLA, has enabled astronomers to infer magnetic field strengths of about 20–35 Gauss close to the forming star. These values are roughly 100 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field—providing the first direct clues to magnetic field strengths in such extreme environments. The findings reinforce a long-standing theory that the mechanisms launching powerful astrophysical jets are fundamentally similar, from low-mass stars through to supermassive black holes.
NSF NRAO is honored to contribute this critical technology and support to discoveries that deepen humanity’s knowledge of the cosmos. Read the full releases from IIST and IISc.
About NRAO
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
This news article was originally published on the NRAO website on July 18, 2025.
Recent News
U.S. National Science Foundation, NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory and U.S. Naval Observatory Partner on Pathfinder for Next Generation Very Large Array
These joint efforts support the pathfinder for ngVLA technologies, focusing on very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) capabilities that enable ultra-sharp imaging of the Universe.
Astronomers Detect Magnetic Fingerprint of a Cosmic Explosion for the First Time
Using the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) radio telescope, which is operated by the U. S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO), the team detected polarized light from a gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow for the first time at radio wavelengths.
NSF VLA Sky Survey Sets New Standard for High-Resolution, Wide-Area Radio Astronomy
The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) has completed observations for the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS), the most detailed radio survey of the sky ever conducted.