Astronomers confirm Beta Pictoris d faintest exoplanet imaged from Earth
Technology
Astronomers just confirmed Beta Pictoris d, the faintest exoplanet ever directly imaged from Earth.
First noticed in 2025 while researchers were looking at its brighter neighbor, Beta Pictoris b, this tiny world was finally revealed thanks to the Very Large Telescope and some help from the James Webb Space Telescope data.
Beta Pictoris d 2.4 Jupiter masses
Beta Pictoris d stands out because it's 2.4 times heavier than Jupiter but way dimmer, about 100 times fainter than Beta Pictoris b.
It's also super hot (around 330 degrees Celsius) and orbits a star just 64 light-years away in the constellation Pictor.
Scientists say finding it shows how sticking with long-term studies can uncover hidden worlds. The discovery highlights how long-term observations can uncover hidden worlds.