Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Radio-Frequency Energy from the Sun

Abstract

RADIO-FREQUENCY radiation in the ten-metre range of wave-lengths which appeared to originate in the region of the Milky Way was reported by Jansky1 in 1933. He observed no measurable effect from the sun, despite the fact that its thermal radiation immensely exceeds the total from all other stars, and deduced that this 'cosmic static' originated in interstellar space. Later observers, Reber2 (2 metres), English Army observers3 (5 metres) and Royal New Zealand Air Force radar personnel4 (1.5 metres), have since reported small or large effects from the sun itself.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jansky, Proc. Inst. Radio Eng., 21, 1387 (1933).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Reber, Astrophys. J., 279 (Nov. 1944).

  3. Army Operational Research Group (British). Report No. 275. (Restricted report.)

  4. Alexander, Radio Development Laboratory Report No. RD. 1/518. (D.S.I.R., New Zealand.) (Restricted report.)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

PAWSEY, J., PAYNE-SOOTT, R. & McCREADY, L. Radio-Frequency Energy from the Sun. Nature 157, 158–159 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/157158a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/157158a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing