Using a network of radio telescopes, astronomers have discovered the largest radio galaxy ever to exist, spanning at least 16 million light-years, new research shows. ” class=”PfUsGslq” title=”Astronomers have discovered a record-breaking giant radio galaxy. It is 100 times larger than the Milky Way” alt=”Astronomers have discovered a record-breaking giant radio galaxy. Its dimensions are 100 times larger than the Milky Way” Astronomers have discovered a record-breaking giant radio galaxy . Its size exceeds the Milky Way by 100 times />
The galaxy, named Alcyoneus after the son of Uranus, the Greek god of the sky, was discovered about 3 billion light-years from Earth thanks to “good luck,” Leiden University in the Netherlands said in a statement.
Radio galaxies contain supermassive black holes in their cores. When matter falls into the black hole, it releases energy in the form of two radio emitters coming from opposite sides of the center of the galaxy, also known as the active galactic nucleus.
Using data from a network of Low-Frequency Array Radio Telescopes (LOFAR) located across Europe, the researchers found two massive plasma plumes emitted by a seemingly ordinary supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. At least 16 million light-years long, the two jets span more than a hundred Milky Ways in diameter, representing the largest known structure of galactic origin, the statement said.
The material thrown into space by these two jet streams includes the building blocks for the formation of new stars. Moving at nearly the speed of light, this material heats up and dissolves into a plasma that glows in radio emission that LOFAR is able to detect.
Astronomers using radio telescopes have previously been unable to detect Alcyoneus because the plumes are relatively weak. The researchers decided to revisit existing images of the galaxy by discovering a new massive galactic structure.
Source: Space.com