\u2018Inkathazo\u2019<\/em><\/strong>, which means \u201ctrouble\u201d in isiXhosa and isiZulu. The discovery, led by Dr Jacinta Delhaize, a lecturer at the University of Cape Town, has left scientists both excited and puzzled due to its unusual characteristics and extreme size.<\/p>\nA giant radio galaxy is a type of galaxy with a supermassive black hole at its center, which emits massive jets of plasma into space. In an Interview on Radio Islam, Dr Delhaize explained that there is stuff like gas and dust falling into the black holes. \u201cThe black hole is basically feeding and gorging itself and growing bigger. And as it\u2019s doing this, for some reason that we don\u2019t really understand, it\u2019s sending these jets of plasma, which is really, really hot, fast-moving gas, streaming out into space,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
These jets can grow larger over time, leading to the formation of what scientists call giant radio galaxies. The excitement surrounding MeerKAT\u2019s discovery stems from the fact that these galaxies were once thought to be rare. \u201cThen we switched on the new generation of radio telescopes like MeerKAT, South Africa\u2019s MeerKAT telescope, and then they just kind of popped up everywhere on the sky,\u201d said Dr Delhaize.<\/p>\n
The name, chosen by Dr Delhaize\u2019s master\u2019s student Kathleen Charlton, perfectly captures the challenge this galaxy presents to researchers. \u201cBasically, it gave her a lot of trouble when she was trying to understand the plasma physics of what was going on here,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n
What makes Inkathazo<\/em> particularly intriguing is its unexpected location. Scientists previously believed that these giant radio galaxies could only exist in low-density environments, where there were few neighbouring galaxies to interfere with their jets. \u201cBut this one, Inkathazo<\/em>, it\u2019s at the center of a cluster of galaxies. So actually in one of the most dense parts of the universe, which is very confusing for us,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\nAdditionally, the plasma jets of Inkathazo<\/em> are not ageing as expected. \u201cWe managed to basically measure the age of the plasma at different points along it, and it\u2019s not behaving according to how we think they should behave. And so, yeah, basically, that\u2019s why it\u2019s troublesome,\u201d Dr. Delhaize said.<\/p>\nOne of the plasma jets of Inkathazo<\/em> has also taken on a strangely curved shape, further complicating scientists\u2019 understanding of these galaxies. Dr. Delhaize compared it to how wind affects hair while running: \u201cAs Inkathazo<\/em> is traveling through the intracluster medium, through this hot gas around it, the jets are kind of like your hair getting blown backwards, and that\u2019s why we think that they\u2019re bending.\u201d<\/p>\n
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