US EditionRecord-breaking cosmic structure discovered in colossal galaxy cluster
- At the 246th American Astronomical Society meeting in Anchorage, researchers revealed a massive radio glow surrounding galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9.
- This discovery follows the initial detection of PLCK G287.0+32.9 in 2011 and challenges theories on how particles remain energized over time in large clusters.
- The radio halo spans nearly 20 million light-years, about 200 times larger than the Milky Way, and fills the entire cluster with faint emission at 2.4 GHz.
- Lead author Dr. Kamlesh Rajpurohit explained that rather than observing the anticipated pair of luminous relics at the outskirts of the galaxy cluster, the team discovered radio emissions illuminating nearly the entire cluster, indicating unexpected widespread particle acceleration.
- The findings imply cosmic magnetic fields stretched across the cluster and energetic shockwaves or turbulence may re-accelerate electrons, offering new insights into cosmic structure formation.
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11 Articles
Astronomers find record-breaking cloud of energetic cosmic particles engulfs colossal galaxy cluster
Astronomers have found a gigantic cosmic structure which defies understanding. The object is a cloud of energetic particles – the largest ever found. The cloud is so large that it surrounds a massive galaxy cluster, spanning 20 million light-years. For comparison, our home Milky Way galaxy has a diameter about 200 times smaller at roughly 100,000 light-years. Long standing theories about how particles stay energised have been challenged by the n…
Record-breaking cosmic structure discovered in colossal galaxy cluster
Astronomers have discovered the largest known cloud of energetic particles surrounding a galaxy cluster—spanning nearly 20 million light-years. The finding challenges long-standing theories about how particles stay energized over time. Instead of being powered by nearby galaxies, this vast region seems to be energized by giant shockwaves and turbulence moving through the hot gas between galaxies.
It is some 5 billion light-years away from Earth that astronomers have just uncovered the largest cloud of energy particles ever observed around a cluster of galaxies. And its size challenges some established theories.
20 Million Clouds of Energy Particles Found Surrounding Distant Galaxy Clusters
Astronomers have identified the largest known cloud of energy particles encircling galaxy clusters, with around 20 million annual clouds around the galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9. This new composite image, created using X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory (blue and purple), radio data from Meerkat Radio Telescope (orange and yellow), and optical images from Panstarrs (red, [...] The post 20 Million Clouds of Energy Particles Found Surr…
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