Researchers Detect Porphyrion’s 23 Million-Light-Year Jets, Probing Cosmic Web 7.5 Billion Years Back
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · Jul 10
Researchers Detect Porphyrion’s 23 Million-Light-Year Jets, Probing Cosmic Web 7.5 Billion Years Back
2 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jul 10
Summary
Porphyrion’s twin black-hole jets stretch 23 million light-years across, making it one of the largest galactic-origin structures ever detected and placing it 7.5 billion light-years from Earth.
LOFAR radio data first revealed the giant lobes in 2024, showing plasma jets from a central black hole that stayed fueled and stable over roughly 1 billion years despite conditions that should disrupt them.
The structure briefly held the size record for a radio galaxy before TXS 0033+252 was found at 26 million light-years; it had already surpassed the team’s earlier giant, Alcyoneus, at 16.3 million light-years.
Researchers say Porphyrion’s jets reached about 66% of the radius of its surrounding cosmic void, suggesting such mega-jets may heat voids, seed magnetic fields and help shape the cosmic web.