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Monday, October 19, 2026 · UTC
The Sky & Telescopes

Radio signal from Beta Pictoris b is an aurora, not aliens, astronomers say

The first confirmed radio emission from an exoplanet comes from its powerful magnetic field, says Harvard co-author Edo Berger.

Arjun Nair
Astronomy Editor
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CAMBRIDGE, USA, Oct. 5, 2026 - The radio signal detected from the exoplanet Beta Pictoris b is auroral emission from the planet's magnetic field, not a sign of extraterrestrial intelligence, said Harvard astronomer Edo Berger.[1] Berger, a co-author of the study, called it a natural auroral phenomenon.[2] The team detected the auroral radio emission[3] with the MeerKAT radio telescope array,[4] the first confirmed radio emission from an exoplanet, according to the paper.[5] The signals span 0.85 to 3.5 GHz,[6] and the planet's magnetic field is measured at no less than 1.25 kilogauss.[7] Beta Pictoris b lies 63 light-years from Earth.[8] Space Nugget. On Earth and Jupiter, auroras glow when charged particles stream down magnetic field lines into the upper atmosphere. The same process can produce powerful radio waves, as fast electrons spiral around the field lines, so a planet's radio glow is a way to measure its magnetic field from light-years away. Searches for alien technology look for something different: narrow, artificial-looking signals rather than broad natural emission.
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What this stands on
  1. Harvard University astronomy professor Edo Berger stated that the detected radio signal is auroral emission produced by Beta Pictoris b's magnetic field, not extraterrestrial intelligence. · The Times Of IndiaIndia
  2. Edo Berger, a professor of astronomy at Harvard University and co-author of the study, stated that the emission is a natural auroral phenomenon and not related to intelligent life. · El UniversalColombia
  3. Auroral radio emission was detected from exoplanet β Pictoris b. · arxiv.org
  4. The MeerKAT array was used for this detection. · arxiv.org
  5. This is the first confirmed radio emission detection from an exoplanet. · arxiv.org
  6. Detected radio frequencies range from 0.85 to 3.5 GHz. · arxiv.org
  7. The exoplanet magnetic field is measured at ≥1.25 kG. · arxiv.org
  8. Beta Pictoris b is 63 light-years from Earth. · ctvnews.caCanada
They publish from India, Colombia, Canada. 1 could not be placed by their address. None is an official body: that part stands on reporting, not on the underlying document or transcript.