Latest news with #ASKAP
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Astronomers discover 15 new giant radio galaxies — the largest single objects in the universe
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronomers have discovered a staggering clutch of 15 new Giant Radio Galaxies within the "Sculptor Field" view of Australia's Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope. This is a big deal because Giant Radio Galaxies are the largest single objects in the known universe, each wider than 2.3 million light-years across. These new examples range in size from 3.7 million light-years to a staggering 12.4 million light-years wide. For context, the Milky Way is around 105,700 light years wide. That means our galaxy would fit across the largest of these new Giant Radio Galaxies, designated ASKAP J0107–2347, over 117 times. ASKAP J0107–2347, located around 1.5 billion light-years away, is also remarkable because it features two sets of radio lobes, one inside the other. The inner lobes are bright and short, while the outer lobes are faint and elongated. This nesting doll-like structure could hint at how Giant Radio Galaxies get so big. "Giant radio galaxies are the biggest single objects in the universe. They are similar in size to the whole Local Group, which includes the Milky Way, Andromeda, and lots of dwarf galaxies," team leader and Western Sydney University researcher Baerbel Silvia Koribalski told "We wanted to find out how Giant Radio Galaxies grow sooooo big." Koribalski explained that typically, a Giant Radio Galaxy is a massive elliptical galaxy that has a supermassive black hole at its heart. When these black holes are feeding on surrounding matter, creating a region called an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN), they blast out powerful jets of matter at near-light speeds. All large galaxies are thought to have supermassive black holes at their centers, and many of these are feeding or "accreting" matter and thus sit in AGNs while exhibiting jet activity. What sets Giant Radio Galaxies apart is the fact that their jets stretch out for 2.3 million to 15.3 million light-years, creating vast twin radio-wave emitting lobes around these galaxies at the shock front of these jets. "Sometimes these supermassive black holes are feeding, and powerful radio jets are seen to emerge from near the black hole," said Koribalski. "Other times, the supermassive black hole is inactive, so we see no jets and the lobes that formed around the head of the jet slowly fade." That is, the researcher added, unless the jets and lobes are re-energized. Mergers between galaxies are thought to play a role in restarting supermassive black hole activity, thus recharging tese jets and creating a second brighter set of inner lobes. To investigate this phenomenon as well as fading radio lobes, Koribalski explained that three things are necessary: high sensitivity, good angular resolution, and relatively low observing frequency. ASKAP, a 6-kilometer diameter radio interferometer array comprising 36 telescopes in Western Australia, provides high-resolution, wide-field radio images and thus fits that bill nicely. "Because ASKAP is equipped with novel, wide-field receivers, Checkerboard Phased Array Feeds that look like a chess board, we can carry out huge sky surveys," Koribalski said. "In each observation, we see an area of 30 square degrees, while previous radio interferometers would see around one square degree. So, each image produced by ASKAP is a treasure trove!" The ASKAP data used by Koribalski in this research was centered around the starburst galaxy NGC 253, or the "Sculptor galaxy," located around 8 million light-years away, creating the deepest ASKAP field yet, the Sculptor field. "While inspecting this deep ASKAP field, I found an unusual number of Giant Radio Galaxies, not only physically very large, but also large in terms of their angular sizes," Koribalski said. "The latter, together with the depth of the field, makes it possible to study these Giant Radio Galaxies in great detail, in particular their morphology, symmetry, and ages." "Back to the question of how do Giant Radio Galaxies grow so big? It seems that unless something is impeding the lobe expansion, they will continue to grow, expand, and fade," Koribalski said. "So, in many cases, we detect the old, outer radio lobes plus a new set of young, inner radio lobes plus jets, created when the supermassive black hole activity restarted. This allows us to study the timescales on which AGN switch on and off." As for the cause of these cut-off periods, Koribalski added that the radio lobes are created in galaxy clusters. That means that so-called "cluster weather," the dynamic interactions that occur between galaxies in clusters, can play a big role in shaping radio galaxies, stopping their expansion or creating structures like wide-angle radio tails, jellyfish tails, or merged tails as seen in the Corkscrew Galaxy. Related Stories: — Black holes could work as natural particle colliders to hunt for dark matter, scientists say — Massive star's gory 'death by black hole' is the biggest and brightest event of its kind — Star escapes ravenous supermassive black hole, leaving behind its stellar partner The ASKAP data could help to get to the bottom of Giant Radio Galaxy growth, because whereas the old lobes of these huge galaxies are so big, diffuse, and faint that they are generally not detectable in shallow surveys, the ASKAP surveys are deep enough to see these fainter J0107–2347 is a prime example of this form of galactic archeology, and it could soon be joined by many more double-lobed Giant Radio Galaxies, helping to crack the mystery of these vast cosmic structures. "ASKAP will massively increase the number of Giant Radio Galaxies near and far," Koribalski said. "ASKAP's sky surveys deliver so much data that even rare objects can now be detected in larger numbers." A preprint version of the team's research is published on the paper repository site arXiv.
News18
09-06-2025
- Science
- News18
A Strange Signal Is Coming From Space Every 44 Minutes, Scientists Are Baffled
Last Updated: According to Professor Nanda Rea of Spain's Institute of Space Sciences, the discovery hints at the presence of many more such unknown objects hiding across the cosmos A strange celestial object, unlike anything ever observed before, has been discovered by astronomers in Australia. The detection of ASKAP J1832-0911, an object that emits radio and X-ray signals every 44 minutes, is being hailed as a breakthrough that could reshape how scientists understand the universe. The object sends out powerful pulses that last for about two minutes each. These signals were picked up simultaneously by two major observatories: Australia's ASKAP (Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder) radio telescope and NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The rare synchronicity of this observation has made the discovery all the more remarkable. Dr Andy Wang from Curtin University, who was part of the research team, described the find as 'like discovering a needle in a haystack". This object doesn't behave like anything we've ever seen before, he added. ASKAP J1832-0911 appears to belong to a relatively new class of celestial phenomena known as Long-Period Transients, or LPTs. These objects were first identified in 2022 and are known for emitting signals over unusually long intervals. However, this is the first time that any LPT has been observed sending out X-rays along with radio waves. What could it be? Scientists are still unsure. One theory suggests that the object could be a magnetar, a remnant core of a collapsed star with an extremely strong magnetic field. Another hypothesis proposes it may be part of a binary star system involving a highly magnetic white dwarf. But even these explanations do not fully account for its unusual behaviour. According to Professor Nanda Rea of Spain's Institute of Space Sciences, the discovery hints at the presence of many more such unknown objects hiding across the cosmos. 'This is just the beginning," she said, adding that the fact that they caught the signal in both radio and X-ray frequencies at the same time shows that they were on the verge of something bigger. The dual-frequency nature of the signals could help astronomers develop new tools and methods for identifying similar phenomena, potentially uncovering more hidden secrets of the universe. For now, ASKAP J1832-0911 remains an enigma, but one that may open new windows into the unknown chapters of space. First Published: June 09, 2025, 17:06 IST
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Teleios: A mysterious sphere floating in the Milky Way
Teleios (Image source: Scientists are puzzled by the discovery of a perfectly spherical object floating in the Milky Way , which emits only radio signals. Named Teleios , this strange structure does not give off visible light, infrared glow, or detectable X-rays, only faint radio emissions. The discovery defies simple explanations and raises questions about how such a perfectly round object could exist in space. Teleios first drew attention when scientists observed a circular region emitting subtle radio waves, despite showing no signs of light or heat. The object was discovered by a team led by Professor Miroslav D. Filipović of Western Sydney University , using data from Australia's ASKAP (Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder) telescope. Strange sphere, Teleios found in the Milky Way Although located within our galaxy, Teleios is completely invisible to the human eye. It lies thousands of trillions of miles from Earth, yet its radio signals traveled all the way to our telescopes. According to experts believe Teleios has a low surface brightness; its soft radio glow was detected during an all-sky survey carried out by ASKAP. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en Rafael Castillo (ver precio) Verisure Undo Its remarkable symmetry is challenging scientists to reconsider common assumptions about space structures. Based on the radio data, scientists estimate Teleios could be up to 157 light-years in diameter. While some researchers believe it might be the remnant of a long-ago stellar explosion, its smooth, round shape has also led to speculation that it could be a young supernova remnant or a more mature structure. What scientists do agree on is that Teleios lies in a remote, quiet region of space, expanding silently and standing out due to its near-perfect symmetry. As one researcher noted, 'This unique object has never been seen at any wavelength, including visible light Is Teleios a supernova Some members of the research team suggest Teleios might be a massive bubble formed by stellar winds, but they can't rule out the possibility that it's an expanding cloud of gas and dust left behind after a star exploded. Teleios has only been detected in radio wavelengths, which are the longest waves in the electromagnetic spectrum. This highlights the important role of radio telescopes in spotting rare cosmic objects that would otherwise go unnoticed by human eyes or regular optical instruments. The debate continues. Some scientists believe a white dwarf may have caused the explosion, slowly gaining mass far from crowded star clusters. Others think Teleios may have exploded in a quiet, outer part of the Milky Way, where fewer stars and less gas allowed it to expand in a smooth, undisturbed way. One theory proposes that the star blew away surrounding material before it exploded, making the nearby space even emptier and allowing for its perfectly rounded shape. Unanswered questions about Teleios Scientists are planning follow-up observations to see if Teleios changes shape over time or remains spherical. Future studies using different wavelengths might help confirm whether stellar winds, debris, or a rare kind of stellar event shaped this symmetrical shell. Right now, no single piece of evidence gives a clear answer. Teleios remains a mystery, and each clue brings more questions. Even the presence or absence of faint remnants inside the sphere could challenge our current understanding of how stars live and die, or reveal rare cosmic conditions we've never seen before. Also read | Is the 'doomsday fish' a real omen of disaster? Here's what scientists say
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Mysterious space object sends signals to Earth every 44 minutes, scientists baffled
Astronomers in Australia have detected a mysterious cosmic object , named ASKAP J1832-0911 , that sends out bursts of radio and X-ray signals every 44 minutes, an occurrence unlike anything previously observed. The discovery was made using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and NASA's powerful Chandra X-ray Observatory. The signals last for about two minutes and reappear at consistent intervals, leaving scientists puzzled. This rare behaviour classifies the object as a long-period transient (LPT), a phenomenon not well understood. The discovery raises new questions about the evolution of dead stars and the possibilities of unknown space physics. How does the mysterious object ASKAP behave ASKAP J1832-0911 doesn't behave like any known star or pulsar. While typical pulsars emit rapid pulses lasting milliseconds or seconds, this object produces signals at much longer and consistent intervals. It 'switches on' and 'switches off' every 44 minutes, a rhythmic pattern that puzzles scientists. This behaviour defies existing theories of stellar remnants, which generally operate on much shorter timescales. The precise timing and strength of these signals suggest a mechanism we have yet to fully understand. With no known counterparts in current astrophysical databases, this object may represent a new class of transient phenomena in deep space. Possible explanations of sending signals every 44 minutes Scientists suggest that ASKAP J1832-0911 could be a type of magnetar, a highly magnetic remnant of a dead star, or a binary system involving a white dwarf. However, none of these theories fully explain the signal pattern. The regularity and intensity of the pulses point toward unknown or poorly understood physics, sparking interest in developing new models. The role of cutting-edge observatories The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder and NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory played a key role in this discovery. ASKAP detected the radio pulses, while Chandra confirmed X-ray emissions from the same source. This multi-wavelength approach provided the necessary evidence to classify the object and rule out common causes like interference or background noise. What makes this discovery important This may be the first indication of a new class of celestial bodies. Long-period transients are extremely rare, and this one could reshape how we understand stellar remnants and high-energy cosmic events. It also highlights the importance of continuous sky monitoring to catch such unusual phenomena in action. Next steps in the investigation Astronomers plan to search for similar signals across the sky using the same observatories. Identifying more objects like ASKAP J1832-0911 could confirm whether it is truly unique or part of a hidden population. Future observations may also uncover details about its origin, energy source, and possible implications for space science.
NDTV
01-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Astronomers Detect Mysterious Deep Space Object Emitting Strange Signals
In a discovery that has left scientists baffled, astronomers have identified a mysterious object in deep space that emits regular bursts of radio waves and X-rays, unlike anything previously observed. The object, named ASKAP J1832- 0911, was first detected by Australia's Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope and later confirmed by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of the most advanced space-based X-ray telescopes in operation. According to a new study published in the journal Nature, the object releases intense signals for two minutes every 44 minutes - a highly unusual pattern that does not fit existing models of known cosmic bodies. "It is unlike anything we have seen before," said lead researcher Andy Wang from Curtin University in Australia. ASKAP J1832-0911 has been classified as a "long-period transient" (LPT) - a rare type of cosmic source that emits bursts of energy at long and regular intervals. Researchers suspect the object could be a magnetar - a highly magnetised remnant of a dead star - or perhaps part of a binary system involving a magnetised white dwarf. However, the precise nature of the signals remains unexplained. "Even the most likely explanations don't fully account for what we are observing," Wang noted, adding that the discovery could hint at new astrophysical phenomena or previously unknown stages of stellar evolution. The team now hopes to find similar objects using a combination of radio and X-ray telescopes, which could shed light on the mysterious behaviour of such long-period transients. The discovery comes amid a string of recent breakthroughs in space science. Earlier this month, scientists reported what they believe could be potential signs of life on an exoplanet, based on signals that may indicate biological activity - another finding that has stirred excitement and debate in the scientific community.
