Beta Pictoris b exoplanet radio emissions detected by astronomers

Astronomers have achieved the first direct detection of radio emissions originating from an exoplanet, Beta Pictoris b. Located approximately 63 light-years from Earth, the gas giant is roughly 12 times the mass of Jupiter.

Using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, researchers conducted measurements between 2025 and 2026, identifying persistent emissions and rapid bursts between 0.85 and 3.5 GHz. The study, involving researchers from Harvard University and the University of Oregon, attributes these signals to electron cyclotron maser instability.

This phenomenon is linked to the planet's magnetic field and produces auroras similar to those seen on Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn. The detection provides a unique opportunity to study exoplanetary magnetic fields, with researchers estimating a minimum magnetic field strength in the emission region of approximately 1.25 kilogauss.