- Astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics have detected a radio signal from Beta Pictoris b, an exoplanet located 64 light-years away.
- The discovery marks the first time scientists have directly measured the magnetic field strength of an exoplanet, finding it to be over 1,000 times stronger than Earth's.
- Researchers captured the signal using South Africa's MeerKAT array, linking the short radio bursts to auroral activity on the gas giant.
- Scientists were able to unambiguously trace the radio emission to the planet itself rather than its host star or surrounding celestial bodies.
- Independent experts have described the findings as an exciting advancement for extrasolar planet research, pending final peer review.
IN FULL
