Alaknanda: Indian astronomers spot implausibly old spiral galaxy
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Space technology (ISRO, missions)· Prelims·
Why in news
Indian astronomers discovered 'Alaknanda', an implausibly old spiral galaxy formed only 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang, challenging existing galaxy formation models.
Background
Rashi Jain, a PhD student at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) in Pune, identified the galaxy using public data from the UNCOVER survey. The galaxy features two clear spiral arms and a small central bulge, structures typically thought to take much longer to develop.
Facts for Prelims
- S&TAlaknanda: A spiral galaxy discovered by Indian astronomers to have formed 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang.
- BodyNational Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA): Located in Pune, India.
- S&TJames Webb Space Telescope (JWST): Source of the data used for the discovery.
- FactUNCOVER survey: The specific survey providing the public JWST data analyzed by the team.
For Mains
Q. How do recent astronomical discoveries like the 'Alaknanda' galaxy challenge existing cosmological models of early universe evolution?
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Model discrepancy: Current theories suggest spiral structures require longer formation periods than the 1.5 billion year timeframe observed.
- Observational advancement: Enhanced resolution from JWST allows for identifying complex galactic morphologies in the early universe.
Keywords: Cosmology · Galactic Evolution · Astrophysics · JWST · Space Exploration
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