Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Astronomers have identified a distant galaxy, REBELS-25, using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA). Despite being young, this galaxy shows an orderly structure similar to the Milky Way.
Unlike the clumpy, chaotic appearance expected from early galaxies, REBELS-25 is rotation-dominated, challenging current assumptions about early cosmic formation.
Dave Clements, an astrophysicist at Imperial College London, noted the surprising disc-like structure of REBELS-25, questioning if it is an anomaly or if current galaxy formation theories need revision.
REBELS-25 is observed as it was when the universe was only 700 million years old. Its early formation contradicts the traditional belief that galaxies evolve over billions of years.
The study’s lead author, Lucie Rowland, highlighted that the similarities between REBELS-25 and the Milky Way question how quickly galaxies in the early universe could have formed.
Andrew Blain, an astrophysicist at the University of Leicester, emphasized that ALMA was crucial in detecting the faint details of galaxies like REBELS-25, revealing finer structures than previous telescopes could capture.
The research, accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, will continue with further observations to confirm the presence of spiral arms and other advanced features in REBELS-25.
The discovery of REBELS-25 offers new insights into early galaxy formation, potentially reshaping how astronomers understand the evolution of galaxies in the universe's early stages.