A group of 15 new Giant Radio Galaxies has been uncovered by astronomers using the ASKAP telescope, with the largest one measuring 12.4 million light-years wide. These massive objects offer insights into the growth of galaxies and the role of black holes in the universe.

Unveiling Giant Radio Galaxies

The discovery of 15 new Giant Radio Galaxies within the view of Australia's ASKAP telescope is a significant breakthrough. These galaxies are known to be the largest single objects in the universe, each spanning more than 2.3 million light-years across.

Ranging in size from 3.7 million to 12.4 million light-years wide, these new Giant Radio Galaxies dwarf the Milky Way, which is around 105,700 light years wide. The largest of these newly discovered galaxies, ASKAP J0107–2347, could fit our galaxy over 117 times.

Insights from ASKAP J0107–2347

Located 1.5 billion light-years away, ASKAP J0107–2347 stands out due to its unique structure featuring two sets of radio lobes. The inner lobes are bright and short, while the outer lobes are faint and elongated, providing clues on how Giant Radio Galaxies grow to such immense sizes.

Understanding Giant Radio Galaxies

Giant Radio Galaxies are massive elliptical galaxies with supermassive black holes at their core. These black holes, when active, emit powerful jets of matter at near-light speeds, contributing to the vast size of these galaxies. The jets can stretch out for millions of light-years, creating the distinctive lobes around the galaxies.

Galactic mergers are believed to play a role in reigniting the activity of supermassive black holes, leading to the formation of new radio lobes and jets within Giant Radio Galaxies.

ASKAP's Contribution to Research

The ASKAP telescope in Western Australia provides high sensitivity and resolution, making it ideal for studying Giant Radio Galaxies. The deep ASKAP field centered around NGC 253 allowed researchers to uncover these massive cosmic structures and delve into their morphology, symmetry, and ages.

By examining the ASKAP data, scientists hope to unravel the mysteries surrounding the growth of Giant Radio Galaxies and the factors influencing their expansion and evolution.

Future Prospects

The discovery of ASKAP J0107–2347 and other Giant Radio Galaxies opens up new avenues for studying these colossal objects. ASKAP's ability to conduct large-scale sky surveys will likely lead to the identification of more double-lobed Giant Radio Galaxies, shedding light on their formation and development.

With the wealth of data provided by ASKAP, researchers anticipate a deeper understanding of the processes driving the growth of Giant Radio Galaxies and their place in the cosmos.

Source: Space