Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Scientists have discovered two colossal beams of energy emerging from a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy. These jets are the largest ever recorded, extending about 23 million light-years, approximately 140 times the diameter of the Milky Way.
The black hole is situated at the center of a galaxy about 7.5 billion light-years from Earth. Since light takes time to travel across vast distances, these observations give scientists a glimpse of the universe when it was less than half its current age.
The jets, made up of electrons, positrons, and magnetic fields, are propelled at nearly the speed of light due to violent activity near the black hole. These jets originate from magnetized material falling into the black hole's gravitational pull.
The two jets have been nicknamed Porphyrion, after a giant from Greek mythology. These jets are about 30% longer than the previous record-holder for such structures, highlighting their immense scale.
The energy output of these jets is comparable to that of trillions of stars like the sun. Such power rivals the energy released during major cosmic events, such as the collision of galaxy clusters.
These jets extend far beyond their home galaxy, possibly influencing the cosmic web—the gaps between galaxies and filaments. This may shed light on the presence of magnetic fields throughout the universe, helping scientists understand how they form and behave.
The jets could heat up interstellar gas, hindering the formation of new stars that require cool gas clouds. Additionally, they may impact habitable planets in the regions they pass through, according to researchers.
While the black hole at the center of the Milky Way is currently inactive and lacks these jets, the study suggests that under the right conditions, jets can grow to enormous sizes, influencing structures far beyond their originating galaxy.