Astronomers detect very bright radio emission

[Bringer of Rain, Thunder and Snow, an Undying Saga of Earth]

Astronomers detect very bright radio emission
Posted on Wednesday, 11 July, 2018




Quasars are fascinating astronomical phenomena. Image Credit: CC BY 4.0 ESO / S. Brunier
Originating deep in the universe, the radio blast is from a quasar - the luminous active nucleus of a distant galaxy.
Scientists believe that this intense burst of energy came from a quasar situated 13 billion light years away - meaning that the emission originated at a time when the universe was much younger.

By analysing the burst, it will be possible to learn more about the history of the cosmos.

"We are seeing P352-15 as it was when the universe was less than a billion years old, or only about 7 percent of its current age," said Chris Carilli of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).

"This is near the end of a period when the first stars and galaxies were re-ionizing the neutral hydrogen atoms that pervaded intergalactic space."

"Further observations may allow us to use this quasar as a background 'lamp' to measure the amount of neutral hydrogen remaining at that time."   

[Bringer of Rain, Thunder and Snow, an Undying Saga of Earth]