Astronomers have discovered a surprising new object in space: a giant radio galaxy 3.3 million light-years long. This galaxy, nicknamed “Inkathazo” meaning “trouble” in Zulu and Xhosa languages, was discovered by the South African radio telescope MeerKAT. The study was published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNAS).
Radio galaxies are cosmic objects that emit jets of hot plasma that span millions of light-years. These jets, visible at radio frequencies, are created by supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. But Inkathazo stands out among similar objects. One of its jets has a curve instead of spreading out straight. Moreover, the galaxy itself is located at the center of a galaxy cluster, and the surrounding gas must prevent the formation of such large structures.
“Inkathazo caused difficulties in explaining its physics. It’s not like other giant radio galaxies,” explained University of Cape Town graduate student Kathleen Charlton, one of the study’s authors.
A detailed study of Inkathazo revealed unexpected energetic processes. For example, electrons in radiation jets gain additional energy when they collide with hot gas between galaxies.
Study co-author Dr. from the University of Pretoria. “These data challenge current models and show that there is still much we do not understand about plasma physics,” said Kshitizh Thorat.
Many of these galaxies had previously been found in the northern hemisphere using European telescopes. But MeerKAT, based in South Africa, has already discovered three such galaxies in a small patch of the sky called COSMOS, just five full moons in size. This telescope is a precursor to the more powerful Square Kilometer Array (SKA) project, which will be operational by the end of the decade.
Researcher from the University of Cape Town, Dr. “We are on the threshold of a new era in radio astronomy, and the future promises to unravel even more mysteries of the universe,” said Jacinta Delaise.
According to scientists, the discovery of Inkathazo is a step towards a deeper understanding of the evolution and nature of the largest objects in space.
Previous scientists showedlike the rebirth of a small galaxy.
What are you thinking?
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.