Direct Radio Signal From an Exoplanet Unveils Its Magnetic Field

Astronomers using the MeerKAT array detected short, highly circularly polarized radio bursts from exoplanet Beta Pictoris b, marking the first time a radio signal has been unambiguously localized to an exoplanet. The emission matches auroral processes (ECMI) and implies a very strong magnetic field—thousands of times stronger than Earth's—likely powered by rapid rotation, with plans to study more giant exoplanets as next‑gen radio observatories come online.