Distant Galaxy's Giant Jets Forecast a Grim Future for the Milky Way

<p> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1Bs4TX" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1Bs4TX.jpg"/> </p> <p> Astronomers have discovered an intense cosmic anomaly that could provide insights into the future of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Located at the center of a large spiral galaxy almost a <strong> billion light-years away </strong> , researchers have identified one of the strongest instances of <strong> black hole activity </strong> Have you ever witnessed such phenomena in a galaxy like this one? It challenges what we've known for decades regarding how galaxies expand, develop, and endure. </p> <p> Published in the <em> Monthly Notices from the Royal Astronomical Society </em> , the findings suggest that spiral galaxies like our own are not as immune to <strong> high-energy disruption </strong> as once believed—and that the <strong> Milky Way’s quiet center </strong> could one day erupt with consequences for life on Earth. </p> <h2> A Supermassive Engine Inside a Spiral Giant </h2> <p> The galaxy in question, <em> 2MASX J23453268−0449256 </em> , is roughly <strong> three times the size </strong> of the Milky Way and hosts a <strong> supermassive black hole </strong> billions of times the mass of the Sun. What shocked scientists was the discovery of <strong> radio jets stretching 6 million light-years </strong> —among the largest ever observed in any galaxy, let alone a spiral. </p> <p> “This discovery is more than just an oddity—it forces us to rethink how galaxies evolve, and how supermassive black holes grow in them and shape their environments,” said lead author <em> Professor Joydeep Bagchi </em> of CHRIST University in Bangalore. </p> <p> Traditionally, such energetic jets were thought to <strong> tear apart </strong> the delicate disk structures of spiral galaxies. But this one appears to be thriving—its arms intact, its stellar ring undisturbed, and its nucleus glowing with activity. </p> <p> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1BrZO9" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1BrZO9.jpg"/> </p> <h2> The Milky Way’s Dormant Threat </h2> <p> At the center of our galaxy sits <em> Sagittarius A </em> (Sgr A*), a black hole with a mass of about <strong> 4 million suns </strong> . For now, it remains largely inactive. But scientists warn that a future event—such as the capture of a rogue star or gas cloud—could trigger <strong> tidal disruption events </strong> capable of awakening it. </p> <p> “Could our galaxy one day experience similar high-energy phenomena that will have serious consequences for the survival of precious life in it?” Bagchi asked. </p> <p> If Sgr A* unleashed jets like those seen in J23453268−0449256, their direction and strength would determine their impact. Radiation from such a jet could <strong> strip atmospheres </strong> , mutate DNA, and <strong> degrade Earth’s ozone layer </strong> . Even without direct exposure, the <strong> interstellar environment </strong> around us could be dramatically altered. </p> <h2> A Galaxy that Shouldn’t Exist </h2> <p> Despite its violent core, J23453268−0449256 retains the classic beauty of a spiral galaxy—an arrangement long believed incompatible with <strong> colossal jet activity </strong> . It features <strong> well-defined spiral arms </strong> , a bright central bar, and no signs of being torn apart by its central black hole. </p> <p> Adding to its uniqueness is a <strong> vast halo of X-ray-emitting gas </strong> . While this gas would typically cool and give birth to stars, the galaxy’s jets act like a <strong> cosmic furnace </strong> , heating the halo and suppressing <strong> new star formation </strong> . </p> <p> This creates a paradox: a galaxy that seems both <strong> extremely active </strong> and yet <strong> surprisingly stable </strong> . </p> <h2> Dark Matter and Hidden Forces </h2> <p> The study also revealed that J23453268−0449256 contains around <strong> ten times more dark matter </strong> than the Milky Way. This extra mass may be the key to its survival, allowing it to withstand the internal chaos without structural collapse. </p> <p> “Understanding these rare galaxies could provide vital clues about the unseen forces governing the universe—including the nature of dark matter, the long-term fate of galaxies, and the origin of life,” said <em> Shankar Ray </em> , co-author and Ph.D. student at CHRIST University. </p> <p> By uncovering a stable relationship between <strong> dark matter </strong> , <strong> galactic architecture </strong> , and <strong> black hole feedback </strong> , the discovery opens up new frontiers in <strong> astrophysics and cosmology </strong> . </p> <h2> Looking Ahead at Our Own Galaxy </h2> <p> The idea that spiral galaxies are passive and orderly no longer holds up. The case of J23453268−0449256 suggests they can harbor <strong> extreme energy outputs </strong> without losing their structure—and that similar events may lie in the <strong> Milky Way’s future </strong> . </p> <p> “Ultimately, this study brings us one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, reminding us that the universe still holds surprises beyond our imagination,” Ray said. </p> <p> The silent heart of our galaxy may not stay quiet forever. When it wakes, the impact could ripple far beyond the stars—right down to our own world. </p> <p> <strong> Enjoyed this article? </strong> Subscribe to our free newsletter for engaging stories, exclusive content, and the latest news. </p> <p> For more news like this, visit . </p>

Distant Galaxy's Giant Jets Forecast a Grim Future for the Milky Way

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Astronomers have discovered an intense cosmic anomaly that could provide insights into the future of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Located at the center of a large spiral galaxy almost a billion l…

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NASA Data Indicates Our Universe May Be Nested Within a Black Hole

<img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1BaXwR" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1BaXwR.jpg"/> <p> A recent study utilizing information gathered by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope about 263 galaxies has presented fresh support for an unexpected hypothesis. </p> <p> According to this theory, our universe might be contained within a black hole which emerged in an even more extensive cosmos. Digi24 . </p> <p> Scientists at Kansas State University have found out that the majority of galaxies in our universe spin in the same direction. </p> <p> This questions the notion that our universe is uniform, suggesting that we should observe an equal distribution of galaxies spinning clockwise and counterclockwise. </p> <p> Lior Shamir, an associate professor of computer science, explained that there are two main possible reasons for this. </p> <p> One explanation is that the universe was born in rotation. This fits with the theory of black hole cosmology, which suggests that our universe exists inside a black hole in a larger universe. </p> <p> <strong> Also read </strong> </p> <p> NASA Astronauts Head Home After 9 Months in Space </p> <p> “First-Of-Its-Kind Imagery”: NASA Footage Shows Moon Landing Like Never Before </p> <p> According to this theory, the Milky Way and all other galaxies would be inside a black hole formed in a much bigger universe. </p> <p> This idea goes against several widely accepted theories in cosmology, such as the Big Bang theory, which claims that the Big Bang marked the start of our universe. </p> <p> Though the new findings are intriguing, they don't definitively prove that the universe is inside a black hole. </p> <p> More evidence is needed to fully understand the implications of this model. Another possible explanation for galaxies rotating in the same direction is that the Milky Way's rotation might distort the data. </p> <p> If this is the case, scientists would need to adjust their methods for measuring distances in the universe. </p> <p> Adjusting these measurements could also explain other mysteries in cosmology, like why the expansion rates of the universe and large galaxies don't quite match up with expectations. </p> <p> The study was published in <em> Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society </em> . </p> <p> While the theory is still far from being proven, it opens up fascinating new possibilities for understanding our universe and its origins. </p> <p> <strong> Also read </strong> </p> <p> NASA’s Europa Clipper to Fly Past Earth in 2026 on Its Way to Jupiter </p> <p> NASA Raises Impact Risk of Asteroid: Almost doubled </p> <p> NASA Increases Probability of Asteroid YR4 Hitting Earth in 2032 </p>

NASA Data Indicates Our Universe May Be Nested Within a Black Hole

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A recent study utilizing information gathered by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope about 263 galaxies has presented fresh support for an unexpected hypothesis. According to this theory, our univers…

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Webb Telescope Unveils Baffling Galaxy Images That Challenge Our Understanding

<ul class="mol-bullets-with-font"> <li class=""> <strong> READ MORE:  NASA discovers 'super Earth' exoplanet just 20 light-years away </strong> </li> </ul> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted a giant galaxy that shouldn't exist. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> Using this exceptionally powerful telescope, a team of researchers were able to peer back in time and observe this never-before-seen spiral galaxy , dubbed the Big Wheel, as it looked just two billion years after the Big Bang. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> The farther out in space astronomers look using telescopes like the James Webb , the further back in time they're seeing, almost all the way to the Big Bang itself. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> A two-billion-year-old galaxy is considered young on a cosmic scale, but the Big Wheel's size at that point in history suggested that it should have been much older. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> The researchers determined that this galaxy stretched nearly 98,000 light years across, roughly the same size as our much-older home galaxy, the Milky Way , is today. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> Based on experts' current understanding of the early universe, it would be highly unlikely for a galaxy to achieve the Big Wheel's size in just two billion years. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> Study co-author Themiya Nanayakkara, an astronomer at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, said: 'You have to remember that the Milky Way has had another 10 billion years or so to grow than the Big Wheel.' </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> He and his colleagues concluded that the Big Wheel was the largest two-billion-year-old galaxy ever observed, and is likely much bigger than the Milky Way is today - roughly 10 billion years later. </p> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1B9N4M" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1B9N4M.jpg"/> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> This presents a puzzling question: how did this galaxy manage to grow so enormous in such a relatively short amount of time? </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> 'Finding one of these galaxies is not a problem for cosmological theories, because one could be an outlier, but if we keep finding more, then I think we may have to say 'Okay, our models might need some refining,'' Nanayakkara told New Scientist . </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> But he has a theory that could explain how the Big Wheel managed to grow so rapidly without breaking the laws of the universe as we understand them. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> It posits that multiple galaxies collided and merged in quick succession to form one large spiral galaxy, accelerating the growth rate that usually results from the gradual gathering of gas and dust in space. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> This may have been made possible by the Big Wheel's unusually dense surroundings. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> It is located in a region of space where galaxies are packed tightly together, 10 times denser than typical areas of the universe, Nanayakkara wrote in an article for The Conversation . </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> 'This dense environment likely provided ideal conditions for the galaxy to grow quickly. It probably experienced mergers that were gentle enough to let the galaxy maintain its spiral disk shape,' he explained. </p> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1B6zrt" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1B6zrt.jpg"/> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1B9BkK" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1B9BkK.jpg"/> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> At the same time, 'the gas flowing into the galaxy must have aligned well with its rotation, allowing the disk to grow quickly without being disrupted. So, a perfect combination,' Nanayakkara added. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> He and his colleagues published their findings in the journal Nature Astronomy . </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> Finding a galaxy like the Big Wheel was like finding a needle in a haystack. According to Nanayakkara, his team had lest than a two percent chance of discovering it. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> Now, the researchers will begin the hunt for more unusually large galaxies in an attempt to determine exactly how rare they are. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"> If they aren't as uncommon as experts currently believe them to be, they may have to reevaluate everything they know about galaxy formation. </p> Read more

Webb Telescope Unveils Baffling Galaxy Images That Challenge Our Understanding

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READ MORE:  NASA discovers 'super Earth' exoplanet just 20 light-years away The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted a giant galaxy that shouldn't exist. Using this exceptionally po…

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Galaxies Dwarf Our Imagination: Study Unveils the Truth

<p> <strong> Galaxies turn out to be significantly larger than initially believed, stretching vast distances into deep space—distances so great that our home galaxy, the Milky Way, probably comes into contact with our nearest galactic neighbor, Andromeda. </strong> </p> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1q7RZz" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1q7RZz.jpg"/> <p> As you might believe, the journey to the drugstore seems quite lengthy," penned Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "however, compared to space travel, this distance is merely insignificant. </p> <p> The vastness of space is immense. Our home, Earth, resides as an insignificant speck circling a star located at the periphery of our Milky Way, which itself is merely one among approximately two trillion galaxies in the observable cosmos. Indeed, space spans an extraordinarily large expanse. </p> <p> The planet Earth is situated within one of the spiral arms of the galaxy. <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/milky-way-maps-teach-us-about-stars-asteroids-and-life/a-62302537"> Milky Way </a> (referred to as the Orion Arm) which is located approximately two-thirds of the way out from the center <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/scientists-find-new-black-holes-in-milky-way/a-43258145"> center of the galaxy </a> . </p> <p> We are aware of the size of the Earth — approximately 12,756 kilometers (7,926 miles) in diameter. Similarly, we know the dimensions of our Sun, which is roughly 1,391,000 kilometers (864,400 miles) across. </p> <p> However, just how vast is the Milky Way? Up until this point, the actual dimensions of galaxies have been an enigma. </p> <h3> The size of galaxies exceeds our expectations. </h3> <p> A recent research paper, featured in the journal <i> Nature Astronomy </i> It has been discovered that galaxies are much larger than initially believed, possibly even multiple times greater in size. </p> <p> The coiled shape of our galaxy constitutes merely its compact central region. In the case of the Milky Way, this spiral spans approximately 100,000 light-years. </p> <p> The starlight emanating from stars located within the spiral arms reaches approximately 7,800 light-years out into the vastness of space, marking what was once believed to be the boundary between the end of a galaxy and the start of deep space. </p> <p> The research has shown that extensive "halos" of gas stretch beyond the observable spiral arms of stars deeply into outer space. </p> <p> Astronomers were able to observe these gaseous halos for the first time thanks to advanced imaging technologies. These techniques allowed scientists to identify galactic gas halos extending more than 100,000 light years into space, significantly expanding our understanding of galaxy sizes. </p> <p> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1q7PBO" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1q7PBO.jpg"/> </p> <h3> Kissing galaxies </h3> <p> Actually, the halos of gas surrounding galaxies reach such vast distances into deep space that the galaxies themselves extend outwards considerably. <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/milky-way-gobbled-up-smaller-galaxy-in-cosmic-crash-astronomers-find/a-49706252"> interact with each other </a> . </p> <p> The research indicates that our Milky Way is probably colliding with our nearest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda — which is approximately 2.5 million light-years distant, as stated by Nikole Nielsen, the lead author of the study and a researcher at Swinburne University in Australia. </p> <p> "We’re now observing the limits of the galaxy’s influence, the point at which it transitions into becoming part of the environment surrounding it, and ultimately merging with the larger cosmic web along with other galaxies. These borders tend to be rather indistinct," explained Nielsen in a press release. </p> <p> Researchers believe this finding will aid in unraveling one of the most significant mysteries in astronomy: how galaxies develop over time? </p> <p> Examining the gaseous envelopes surrounding various kinds of galaxies — those <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/webb-telescope-photographs-the-pillars-of-creation-with-great-clarity/a-63503907"> form stars </a> , or those that no longer form stars—will aid in understanding how galaxies accumulate mass over time and the effects they have on one another during interactions. </p> <p> <i> Edited by: Andreas Illmer </i> </p> <h3> Primary source: </h3> <p> Nielsen, N.M., <i> et al. </i> A map showing emissions from the interface between the disk and circumgalactic medium in the starburst galaxy IRAS 08339+6517. <i> Nature Astronomy </i> (2024). <span> <span> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02365-x"> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02365-x </a> </span> </span> </p> <p> Author: Fred Schwaller </p>

Galaxies Dwarf Our Imagination: Study Unveils the Truth

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Galaxies turn out to be significantly larger than initially believed, stretching vast distances into deep space—distances so great that our home galaxy, the Milky Way, probably comes into contact…

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How Many Galaxies Dot Our Universe?

<img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1oavc7" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1oavc7.jpg"/> <p> The Milky Way is merely a tiny fragment within a vast universe teeming with countless galaxies. However, if we were to venture an informed estimate, approximately how many galaxies might be out there? </p> <p> That appears to be an easy query, yet it’s far from straightforward. The primary issue is that despite having access to our strongest telescopes, we are still able to observe just a minuscule portion of the cosmos. </p> <p> As per an astrophysicist, the observable universe refers solely to the portion from where light has managed to arrive at our location. Kai Noeske , who currently serves as an outreach officer at the European Space Agency, told Live Science. </p> <p> The universe is 13.8 billion years old However, the observable universe extends over 13.8 billion light-years in all directions. This occurs due to the expansion of the universe; initially, when the cosmos were smaller, light had an earlier beginning. </p> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/video/AA1oaE0N" data-reference="video"/> <p> Currently, the overall dimension in every direction is approximately 46 billion. light-years ," Noeske said. </p> <p> That's significantly smaller than what we anticipated for the whole universe. As we understand it, 'We can observe only up to 3 percent of the universe,' Pamela Gay , a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, told Live Science. </p> <p> <strong> Related: </strong> <strong> What causes galaxies to have varying forms? </strong> </p> <p> The second issue is that due to the vast number of galaxies, we can only estimate the overall count by examining limited areas within the observable universe. </p> <p> As Gay explained, you observe a tiny section of the heavens, tally all objects within that segment, and then extrapolate those findings across the entire sky. </p> <p> However, this still necessitates a threshold. “How do we classify something as a galaxy?” asked Noeske. “We’ve got truly massive galaxies that must be at least ten times heavier than ours,” he noted, “and then there are numerous smaller galaxies, including those with lesser masses—about one-tenth that of our galaxy—and extending right down to dwarf galaxies.” </p> <p> At times, researchers must establish a lower limit for a galaxy’s mass to enable accurate estimations. </p> <p> "Noeske stated that if we establish a mass threshold and aim for it to be conservative, such as one million solar masses, then the estimated total number of galaxies from the early stages until now would be roughly between one and two trillion." Experts believe there were more galaxies present during the earlier periods of the universe compared to what exists currently, hence these estimations represent an averaged figure across different epochs. </p> <p> However, those findings originate from the Hubble telescope—the James Webb Space Telescope is beginning to provide insights into these observations—which focus on regions close to Earth within our solar system and are constrained by everything in between. solar system That illuminates the sky," Gay stated. "We do possess one spaceship equipped with a camera that has managed to travel outside of all the debris within our solar system, and that’s the New Horizons spacecraft ." </p> <p> A 2021 study utilized the onboard camera of New Horizons to gauge the overall quantity of light across different sections of space and then calculated the number of galaxies required to produce such luminosity. </p> <p> “And then, as they find themselves beyond all the light sources within our solar system, they conclude that we might not require as many galaxies as previously believed,” Gay stated. “As a result, their calculations suggest there could be around 200 billion, perhaps even down to 100 billion, galaxies observable in the universe.” </p> <p> "Somewhere between 2 trillion galaxies at the higher end and 100 billion galaxies at the lower end lies the estimated number of galaxies within our observable universe," she explained. </p> <p> If you estimate that this accounts for approximately 3%, or possibly even less, of our universe, then you could scale up this galaxy count to determine the overall quantity of galaxies in the cosmos. Should our observable portion represent an even lesser fraction of the entire universe, the cumulative number of galaxies would consequently decrease as well. </p> <p> However, since we lack knowledge about the actual dimensions of the universe, these calculations remain uncertain. "In the case of an infinitely vast universe, you would expect to find limitless galaxies," explained Gay. </p>

How Many Galaxies Dot Our Universe?

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The Milky Way is merely a tiny fragment within a vast universe teeming with countless galaxies. However, if we were to venture an informed estimate, approximately how many galaxies might be out ther…

Read more »