Astronomers have made a surprising discovery in the depths of the universe. The MeerKAT telescope in South Africa has revealed a giant radio galaxy 30 times the size of the Milky Way. This giant galaxy, called Inkathazo, has excited astronomers with its plasma jets extending up to 3 million light-years.
A giant discovery has been made in the depths of the universe that has surprised astronomers. A mysterious radio galaxy 30 times the size of the Milky Way has emerged.
Astronomers named the galaxy “Inkathazo”, which means “trouble” in isiZulu and isiXhosa, two indigenous languages of southern Africa. While plasma jets usually emanate from supermassive black holes travel straight ahead, one of Inkathazo’s jets is unexpectedly bent. Moreover, the cluster in which the galaxy is located has conditions that are not suitable for the formation of such giant jets. These unusual features raise many new questions about how Inkathazo came into being.
Observations made by the MeerKAT telescope have mapped the plasma ages in different parts of the galaxy and revealed that some electrons have mysteriously gained energy. Scientists think this may be due to interactions with hot gases in the surrounding area.
The number of giant radio galaxies discovered by the MeerKAT telescope has been rapidly increasing in recent years. Inkathazo, one of the three major discoveries in the past, suggests that there may still be giant structures in the sky waiting to be discovered. This groundbreaking discovery was published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and is seen as a significant step towards understanding some of the universe’s largest structures.
