---
title: "Astronomers Detect Radio Signal from Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b for the First Time"
description: "Astronomers have directly detected a radio signal from the exoplanet Beta Pictoris b for the first time, using the MeerKAT telescope. The source of the waves turned out to be an aurora in the gas giant's atmosphere, not extraterrestrial contact."
date: 2026-09-23T05:14:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/first-radio-signal-from-exoplanet-beta-pictoris-b
tags: [exoplanet, radio-signal, beta-pictoris, astronomy, meerkat, arxiv]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Astronomers Detect Radio Signal from Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b for the First Time

![Radio telescope antennas in a desert that detected the first radio signal from exoplanet Beta Pictoris b](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/pervyy-radiosignal-ot-ekzoplanety-beta-pictoris-b/pervyy-radiosignal-ot-ekzoplanety-beta-pictoris-b-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- For the first time in history, a radio signal from the exoplanet Beta Pictoris b, located 63.4 light-years away, has been directly detected
- Observations were carried out on the MeerKAT radio telescope in 2025–2026 at frequencies of 0.85–3.5 GHz, with reference to quasars
- The source of the waves was an aurora in the planet's atmosphere, not extraterrestrial contact
- This is the first direct measurement of the strength of an exoplanet's magnetic field; the methodology is planned to be applied to seven more giant planets

For the first time in the history of astronomy, scientists have directly detected radio waves emanating from an exoplanet outside the Solar System. The source of the signal was Beta Pictoris b — a gas giant orbiting the hot star Beta Pictoris at a distance of about 63.4 light-years from Earth. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a study published on the arXiv preprint server. The fact of detection was confirmed by independent outlets Caravan.kz and 3DNews, which also reference the same preprint.

### How the Observation Was Carried Out

The observations were conducted using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa over 2025 and 2026, at frequencies ranging from 0.85 to 3.5 GHz. A key challenge with such systems has always been that radio signals from planets were lost against the backdrop of the powerful radiation of their parent stars. To separate the planetary signal from the stellar one, astronomers used quasars — the ultra-bright cores of distant galaxies — as coordinate reference points. Thanks to ultra-precise coordinate alignment, the researchers proved that the short, repeating, and highly polarized radio wave bursts are generated by the planet itself, not by its star.

### What the Planet Is Actually Emitting

The scientists immediately emphasize: the detected waves are not an attempt at extraterrestrial contact. The recorded flashes turned out to be the result of a powerful aurora in the upper layers of the gas giant's atmosphere. According to the authors of the study, the planet's rapid rotation and its powerful internal dynamo create so-called electron-cyclotron instability, which generates the intense radio waves. Thus, the signal is a purely physical phenomenon associated with the exoplanet's magnetosphere.

### Significance of the Discovery and Future Plans

The authors of the study note that this discovery marks the first direct measurement in history of the strength of an exoplanet's magnetic field. Previously, such measurements were only possible using indirect methods. Based on the obtained methodology, astronomers are preparing to study seven other giant planets in five nearby stellar systems, which could significantly expand our understanding of the magnetospheres and atmospheres of extraterrestrial worlds.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [A First in History: Astronomers Detect Radio Signal from Exoplanet Outside the Solar System](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vpershe-istoriyi-astronomi-zafiksuvali-radiosignal-1790089237.html) - Основной источник: телескоп MeerKAT, частоты 0,85–3,5 ГГц, 2025–2026 гг., 63,4 св. года, полярное сияние, квазары, электронно-циклотронная нестабильность, планы по 7 планетам в 5 системах.
- [Exoplanet Broadcasts on Radio for the First Time — Scientists Register Its Radio Emission](https://www.caravan.kz/news/jekzoplaneta-vpervye-vyshla-v-radiojefir-uchenye-zaregistrirovali-ee-radioizluchenie/) - Независимое подтверждение факта прямой регистрации радиоизлучения экзопланеты.
- [Exoplanet Broadcasts on Radio for the First Time — Scientists Directly Register Its Radio Emission](https://3dnews.ru/1148842/ekzoplaneta-vpervie-vishla-v-radioefir-uchyonie-napryamuyu-zaregistrirovali-eyo-izluchenie) - Независимое подтверждение: прямая регистрация радиоизлучения, без расхождений с основным текстом.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Is the detected signal an attempt at extraterrestrial contact?
**A:** No. The scientists explicitly state that the waves are the result of a powerful aurora in the upper layers of the atmosphere of the planet Beta Pictoris b, not an artificial signal.

### Q: What equipment was used to detect the signal?
**A:** The observations were conducted on the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa in 2025–2026, at frequencies ranging from 0.85 to 3.5 GHz, with coordinate reference to quasars.

### Q: How far is the planet Beta Pictoris b from Earth?
**A:** About 63.4 light-years. It orbits the star Beta Pictoris together with two other known planets in the system.

### Q: Why was the signal not possible to detect before?
**A:** Previously, radio signals from such systems were lost against the backdrop of the powerful radiation of their parent stars. Using quasars as reference points made it possible to separate the planetary signal from the stellar one.

### Q: What else do the astronomers plan to study?
**A:** Using the same methodology, studies of seven more giant planets in five nearby stellar systems are being prepared. This is also the first direct measurement of the strength of an exoplanet's magnetic field.