  Regardless of the physical origin of stellar magnetic fields - fossil or
dynamo induced - an inclination angle between the magnetic and rotation axes is
very often observed. Absence of observational evidence in this direction in the
solar case has led to generally assume that its global magnetic field and
rotation axes are well aligned. We present the detection of a monthly periodic
signal of the photospheric solar magnetic field at all latitudes, and
especially near the poles, revealing that the main axis of the Sun's magnetic
field is not aligned with the surface rotation axis. This result reinforces the
view of our Sun as a common intermediate-mass star. Furthermore this detection
challenges and imposes a strong observational constraint to modern solar dynamo
theories.

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics