First radio detection indicates magnetic field on Beta Pictoris b
For the first time, scientists have detected radio signals coming directly from an exoplanet, Beta Pictoris b, about 64 light-years away.
Using South Africa's MeerKAT telescope, they found that these signals point to a strong magnetic field around the planet.
What's cool is that the strength of these signals changes as the planet spins, giving us new clues about how planets like this work.
Beta Pictoris b auroral radio bursts
Beta Pictoris b isn't your average planet: it's a gas giant with a mass of about 12 times that of Jupiter and shoots out quick radio bursts linked to auroral radio emission.
This is also the first time such emissions have been picked up straight from a planet (not its star), highlighting its magnetic field.
The research was posted on arXiv on September 15 and is awaiting peer review.