Alcyoneus (galaxy)

Alcyoneus is a radio galaxy located around 3 billion light years away in the constellation Lynx, discovered using the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) network. At around 5 million parsecs (16.3 million light years) wide, its radio lobes are the largest known structure made by a single galaxy.[1] The host galaxy, SDSS J081421.68+522410, also contains a supermassive black hole weighing 400±200 million solar masses. Aside from the size of its radio emissions, the galaxy is otherwise of ordinary radio luminosity, stellar mass, and supermassive black hole mass. It is a standalone galaxy, with the nearest cluster located 11 million light years away from it.[1] It was named after Alcyoneus, one of the opponents of Heracles in Greek mythology.

For other uses, see Alcyoneus (disambiguation).
Alcyoneus
Alcyoneus, depicted through LOFAR radio data at 144 MHz (orange) and WISE infrared data at 3.4 micron (blue)
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationLynx
Right ascension8h 14m 21.6s
Declination52° 24′ 10.06″
Redshift0.24674±0.00006
Distance3 billion ly
Characteristics
Mass240 billion ± 40 billion (host) M☉
Other designations
SDSS J081421.69+522410.0, 2MASS J08142169+5224103
References: [1]

It is currently unknown how Alcyoneus's radio emissions grew so large. A few theories have been proposed, including a lesser dense than usual environment surrounding it, the fact that it exists inside a filament of the cosmic web,[2] a supermassive black hole, an extensive stellar population, and powerful jet streams.[3]

See also

References
  1. Oei, Martijn S. S. L.; van Weeren, Reinout J.; Hardcastle, Martin J.; Botteon, Andrea; Shimwell, Tim W.; Dabhade, Pratik; Gast, Aivin D. J. G. I. B.; Röttgering, Huub J. A.; Brüggen, Marcus; Tasse, Cyril; Williams, Wendy L.; Shulevski, Aleksandar (February 14, 2022). "The discovery of a radio galaxy of at least 5 Mpc". arXiv:2202.05427 [astro-ph.GA].
  2. Turner, Ben (February 17, 2022). "Largest galaxy ever discovered baffles scientists". Live Science. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  3. "Astronomers find largest radio galaxy ever". Universiteit Leiden. February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
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