Polarized light from white‐dwarf star

Circularly polarized light has been found in a peculiar white dwarf star; the result suggests that its magnetic field is between 10 million and 100 million gauss, a value to be expected on theoretical grounds. Further observations show that with increasing wavelength the percentage circular polarization rises in the ultraviolet, drops somewhat and then rises sharply again in the infrared at 12 000 Å. There is also a linear polarization, which is present in the uv, disappears at about 6000 Å, then reappears at about 8000 Å perpendicular to the first direction.