Astronomers983 Archivesspotted a pair of exotic features believed to be the aftermath of a colossal cosmic smackdown — not between two galaxies, but two groupsof galaxies.
These glowing arcs of radio energy are known as "radio relics," faint clouds resulting from powerful shockwaves surging through hot gas that fills the spaceamid a galaxy cluster.
The cluster, PSZ2 G181.06+48.47, is some 963 million light-yearsfrom Earth, but its image is less forgettable than its name. Using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India and the Very Large Array in New Mexico, a team of researchers spotted the arcs flanking the cluster like giant parentheses. The distance between the punctuation is an estimated 11 million light-years — about 100 times the span of the Milky Way.
That makes their separation a record holder — "the largest known to date," according to a paperpublished on the discovery in The Astrophysical Journal.
SEE ALSO: What cracked the Milky Way's giant cosmic bone? Scientists think they know.
An annotated view of a galaxy cluster reveals a rare pair of radio relics. Credit: Kamlesh Rajpurohit et al / https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adbbb9 Galaxies are often part of larger collections of galaxies, held together by gravity, according to NASA. These groups and clusters, containing hundreds to thousands of galactic neighborhoods, serve as building blocks for the larger structures of the universe. Clusters are also composed of scorching gas that reaches millions of degrees as well as dark matter, an invisible material that scientists don't yet fully understand.
The team, led by Kamlesh Rajpurohit, an astronomer at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, thinks the newfound radio relics formed when shock fronts sped through space following two clusters wrecking. These waves can force particles to shine in radio light.
Though these two come as a pair, they're not identical twins. The researchers describe the northernmost glow as brighter and polarized, meaning its light is moving in the same direction. Its companion to the south has a stranger ghostly shape and an energy pattern that may mean it was caused by a more powerful shockwave.
Using an enormous telescope in India and the Very Large Array in New Mexico, pictured above, a team of researchers spotted the arcs flanking the cluster like giant parentheses. Credit: Bettymaya Foott / NRAO / AUI / NSF The relics suggest the entire cluster is in the final throes of a merger set in motion a billion years before.
In the past, astronomers have dubbed clusters fun nicknames based on the shapes of their relics, such as the Toothbrush Cluster. Perhaps in the future this one will leave behind its numerical moniker for something a bit snazzier, like the Eyebrows Cluster or the Air Quotes Cluster. Until that time, you can call it Planck cluster G181+48 for short, Rajpurohit said.
Scientists discovered one other curiosity between the relics: a faint glow at the center of the cluster. This could be a so-called "radio halo," another kind of radio source that emerges when churning gas and particles create turbulence after a violent cosmic crash.
Astronomers have previously detected less than 30 such clusters with relic pairs. But the upcoming Square Kilometre Array being built in South Africa and Australia could be a "game changer," according to the paper's authors.
"There could potentially be many more awaiting discovery in the era of large radio surveys," they said.
UPDATE: May. 7, 2025, 10:55 a.m. EDT This story has been updated to include additional data from the paper's author on the estimated distance of the galaxy cluster from Earth.
Best portable power station deal: Save $179.01 on the EcoFlow River 2 Max
Cam Newton's old
People are loving Skittles' response to Donald Trump Jr.'s refugee tweet
Kid takes mom's fruit directions far too literally
Is it 'Thunderbolts*' or *The New Avengers'?
What happens when a terror suspect is caught alive?
9 times Brangelina were the actual best
People are finally letting Jennifer Aniston be happy about her cool life
Samsung Unpacked stream is set for May 12, 2025
Kendall Jenner just sparked some mean beef with ballet dancers
How to Squeeze the Most Out of Your iPhone's Battery
Bungie's Destiny servers went down, and gamers were furious
Running mom pumps breast milk during a half
Christopher Darden says he's guilty...of hooking up with Marcia Clark
Astronomers saw one galaxy impale another. The damage was an eye
Kevin Hart shared a look at 'Jumanji' sequel on Instagram and it's wild
Man perfectly demonstrates how to not act in front of a bear
Kevin Hart, a.k.a. Chocolate Droppa, finally drops a track
Gods of War
9 times Brangelina were the actual best
How to Live Like a Musician: Eat Only White FoodsSomething You Never Want to Hear a Man Say—“It’s Like Sex, Right?”Comfort Reading: On Lee Bailey’s CookbooksThe Secret’s Out: We’re BORING AS FUCKThe Secret’s Out: We’re BORING AS FUCKExotic Pets of the Twenties and ThirtiesTwo Poems by Nathaniel MackeyThree Cheers for Children: Mark Twain’s Toast to BabiesLisa Hanawalt: Hot Dog Taste TestAnagramming the News: The AnswersThe art and life of Mark di SuveroThe Amorality of Robot CarsIn Defense of “Moist”Staff Picks: Blackass, Hannah Arendt, Prince’s Floppy DisksThe Amorality of Robot CarsHow to Live Like a Musician: Eat Only White FoodsPicturing the Literary History of Word ProcessingBefore ASCII Art, There Was … This 19thStaff Picks: Castellanos Moya, John Koethe, EsopusThe Art of Sandwich Making Stop what you're doing because you can now buy an actual working Banana Phone Gorgeous Galaxy Note 8 concept lets you have your cake and eat it too Kendall Jenner appeared on the cover of Vogue India and people had a LOT to say Poignant picture of a girl scout standing up to a neo Text messages actually make for a very effective poster We made a 'Fargo' board game so you too can live a life of midwestern crime 7 things that still hold up about the original 'Spider Nissan's solution for texting and driving: A signal blocker for your phone This tiny detail in 'The Dark Tower' trailer may mean the end of a popular fan theory One airline is cutting back legroom because flying hasn't become terrible enough 'North Korea VR' is an extraordinary glimpse of the world's most oppressive country Hulu has always been cool, you just haven't been paying attention Verizon pays more than $20 million to stream a single NFL game Literally every single rumour about the Queen's 'emergency meeting' at the palace David Beckham's birthday dinner is a weird combo only his kids could come up with This is the most British picture ever taken This guy paid an expired meter and left a perfect note for the motorist You can add Reactions to Facebook comments WhatsApp's Snapchat Stories clone now has more users than Snapchat World's smallest 4G phone has 3
2.1803s , 10132.109375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【1983 Archives】,Creation Information Network