Sort of. As explained by this snippet from http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/sho ... p?t=142401,curt0909 wrote:I know a magnetic field can affect polarized light. If you direct linear polarized light between two attracting magnetic poles it will change the polarization to circular.
--RikThe magnetic field doesn't directly affect the light. It affects the polarization currents in the material the light is passing through. With a magnetic field parallel to the direction of travel of the light, the charges will be displaced perpendicular to the plane of polarization, and will add a component of the other polarization. In a vacuum, the Farady rotation should be zero.