Pick up a radio signal 9 billion light-years away

Until now, radio signals have only been recorded from near-Earth constellations, so for the first time a signal has been picked up from a galaxy in space billions of light years away.

Thanks to the use of gravitational lensing, An international team of astronomers was able to observe A very ancient ripple in space-timewhich happens when The gravitational pull of a nearby galaxy It bends, which means it distorts the light coming from a galaxy much farther away.

According to the first reconstructionsradio signal Coming from the galaxy with the code SDSSJ0826+5630, It would have been emitted when the universe wasAlone” 4.9 billion years. However, one should always think The universe is expandingThat’s why it took 8.8 billion years before you reach our telescopes.

The oldest signal that has ever come down to us

radio signal recording, Coming from a galaxy about 9 billion light-years away from our planetScientists were allowed to give A glimpse into the early universe. A recent study published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societyy, revealed to the whole world The amazing discovery made by an international team of astronomers. The signal was recorded by the Giant Radio Telescope Giant meter wave radio Which is located in India, with a wavelength called “Line 21 cm” or “hydrogen line”issued of neutral hydrogen atoms. “

The galaxy emits different types of radio signals. Until now, it was only possible to pick up this particular signal from a nearby galaxy, and limit our knowledge to those galaxies closest to Earth.“, I have announced Arnav ChakrabortyResearcher in McGill University. The result was also possible thanks to the help ofA natural phenomenon called gravitational lensing – the researcher adds – We can pick up a weak signal from a record distance. This will help us understand the formation of galaxies at much greater distances from Earth“The researcher stressed again.

Incredible distance

Receive a signal from a distant galaxy 8.8 billion light years from Earth Is a real record: none so far He was able to intercept a radio signal at such a great distance. “This is equivalent to looking back 8.8 billion yearsIn fact, the farthest signal ever captured stopped at just 4.9 light-years away, Chakraborty confirmed again. Again according to the team of astronomersThese results confirm that it is possible to observe very distant galaxies, Thanks to the use of gravitational lens. Studying opens up new and exciting opportunities for looking back in timeand the study of the evolution of stars and galaxies, a question that has long puzzled scientists and others.