Archive · 2 Oct 2025
Astronomers Discover Most Powerful Cosmic Ring and Other Odd Structures
Astronomers found a giant ring of radio light in space, bigger than our galaxy!
This "Odd Radio Circle" is a mystery, as scientists aren't sure how it was made.
They used special telescopes and help from everyday people (citizen scientists) to find it.
The team also discovered other unusual radio structures, including galaxies with giant rings.
The rings are likely shaped by powerful forces from black holes.
These discoveries help scientists learn more about how galaxies and the universe work.
More discoveries are expected with new telescopes.
Astronomers discovered a record-breaking 'Odd Radio Circle' (ORC).
ORCs are large rings of radio light around galaxies.
The discovery was made using the LOFAR radio telescope and with the help of citizen scientists.
Two other radio ring structures were also found.
These discoveries are part of a larger exploration of cosmic plasma structures.
- Who
- Astronomers and citizen scientists
- What
- Discovered record-breaking cosmic radio rings (ORCs) and related structures.
- When
- The discovery was recent, with the ORC found at a redshift of ~0.94
- Where
- Deep space, observed using LOFAR (Low-Frequency Array)
- Why
- To understand galaxies, black holes, and cosmic phenomena.
- Object Discovered
- Record-breaking Odd Radio Circle (ORC) named RAD J131346.9+500320
- Discovery Method
- Radio telescope LOFAR and Citizen Scientists
- ORC Size
- 10-20 times larger than the Milky Way
- Redshift of ORC
- ~0.94
- Other Objects Discovered
- Two additional cosmic radio rings