Science1 hOctober 7, 2026, 21:35

MeerKAT Detects Most Distant Cosmic 'Laser' From 8 Billion Light-Years Away

South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope has detected the most distant hydroxyl megamaser ever recorded, HATLAS J142935.3–002836, a signal from a galaxy merger at redshift z=1.027 that left its source more than 8 billion years ago. Gravitational lensing magnified the emission 8 to 10 times, allowing detection in just 4.7 hours with a signal-to-noise ratio above 150.

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MeerKAT Detects Most Distant Cosmic 'Laser' From 8 Billion Light-Years Away

Signal traveled over 8 billion years from a galaxy merger at z=1.027
Gravitational lensing magnified the emission roughly 8 to 10 times
Signal-to-noise ratio exceeded 150 in only 4.7 hours of observation
Megamasers could help locate supermassive black hole pairs, sources of low-frequency gravitational waves

#MeerKAT#SARAO

NEID Confirms 3.6-Earth-Mass Planet Around Star 57 Light-Years Away

Science

Webb detects ammonia and unexpected chill on a distant giant planet

Science

Astronomers detect radio emission from an exoplanet and measure its magnetic field

Science

MeerKAT Detects Most Distant Cosmic 'Laser' From 8 Billion Light-Years Away

NEID Confirms 3.6-Earth-Mass Planet Around Star 57 Light-Years Away

Webb detects ammonia and unexpected chill on a distant giant planet

Astronomers detect radio emission from an exoplanet and measure its magnetic field

First radio signal from an exoplanet detected from Beta Pictoris b