Explore distant galaxy signal with gravitational lensing.
Space exploration has been ongoing for decades, with humans pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the universe. Recently, researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding the early universe by capturing a radio signal from the most distant galaxy to date. The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India was able to pick up the signal, which was emitted when the universe was 4.9 billion years old.
The signal was bent by a galaxy located between it and the telescope, which allowed the telescope to pick up the signal and magnify it by a factor of 30. This phenomenon is called gravitational lensing and could help researchers observe faraway galaxies and the cosmic evolution of stars.
The researchers were able to determine that the atomic mass of the hydrogen gas in the distant galaxy is nearly twice the mass of the stars visible to us. This could provide insight into the cosmic evolution of neutral gas, which is important for understanding the evolution of galaxies over time.
This breakthrough demonstrates the potential of low-frequency radio telescopes to probe the cosmic evolution of neutral gas in the near future. With continued exploration and research, we may gain even more insight into the universe and our place in it.
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