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Astronomers Detected Radio Signals From An Alien Planet - Here's What We Know
bgr.com • • general
Key Points:
- In summer 2026, astronomers detected persistent radio signals from the exoplanet Beta Pictoris b, a gas giant about 63 lightyears away, using the MeerKAT radio telescope array in South Africa.
- The radio emissions, described as auroral radio emission, indicate the presence of a magnetic field and atmosphere around Beta Pictoris b, marking the first time radio waves have been used to measure an exoplanet's magnetic field.
- The magnetic field of Beta Pictoris b is estimated to be over 1,000 times stronger than Earth's, suggesting significant magnetosphere–ionosphere interactions similar to auroras on Earth.
- This discovery advances the search for habitable exoplanets by providing a method to identify planets with magnetospheres, which are crucial for protecting atmospheres and potentially supporting life, even though Beta Pictoris b itself is a gas giant and not habitable.
- The findings open new possibilities for locating closer potentially habitable exoplanets, such as the super-Earth HD 20794 d, located just 20 light-years away.
