October 16, 2026
Researchers from the University of Oregon and the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA, have detected radio bursts coming from Beta Pictoris b, an exoplanet situated nearly 63 light years away from Earth. Though researchers were aware of radio activity from the Beta Pictoris system, they were unsure whether the source of the emissions was a planet or the system’s host star. With the help of South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope array, they learnt that the radio emissions emerged from Beta Pictoris b, making the planet the first exoplanet from which a radio signal has been identified. Researchers believe Beta Pictoris b’s magnetic field and high rotation speed are among the main factors contributing to the radio emissions.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first confirmed exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star is 51 Pegasi b. It was discovered in 1995 by Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz.
Image Source: wikipedia.org
