Astronomers may be able to learn how stars grow in far-off galaxies by detecting radio frequencies released by nearer galaxies. So far, we have only been able to observe this specific signal from a nearby galaxy, which has restricted our understanding to galaxies that are closer to Earth. However, these signals are difficult for the present generation of radio telescopes to detect since they become weaker the farther a galaxy is from Earth.
Astronomers from Montreal and India have successfully recorded a radio signal from the furthest galaxy thanks to gravitational lensing. At a particular wavelength known as the 21 cm line, astronomers have thus far successfully detected a weak signal at a record-breaking distance.
Astronomers used India’s Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope to make this discovery. This is the first time a radio signal has been discovered at such a great distance, allowing scientists to investigate the early universe’s mysteries.
The signal was discovered to originate from SDSSJ0826+5630, a star-forming galaxy 8.8 billion light-years away. This distance indicates how close the galaxy is to the Big Bang.
Surprisingly, scientists were able to determine its gas composition. They discovered that the atomic mass of this galaxy’s gas composition is nearly twice that of the visible stars.
“The signal observed was released from this galaxy when the universe was only 4.9 billion years old, allowing the researchers to look into the secrets of the early cosmos,” stated Arnab Chakraborty, a Post-Doctoral Researcher at McGill University working under Professor Matt Dobbs. It’s the same as going 8.8 billion years back in time.
“Gravitational lensing magnifies the signal originating from a faraway object to enable us see into the early universe,” co-author Nirupam Roy, an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science, said. The signal is distorted in this particular instance because there is another large object—another galaxy—between the target and the observer.
As a result, the signal is practically 30 times more magnified, making it visible to the telescope.
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