Sydney Astronomers Find Most Distant Fast Radio Burst Yet
Astronomers have detected the most distant fast radio burst (FRB) ever recorded, originating from a galaxy when the universe was only three billion years old. The discovery, made using the MeerKAT telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, provides new insights into the evolution of galaxies and intergalactic matter.
Why it matters
This discovery expands our understanding of the early universe and the mysterious origins of high-energy cosmic phenomena.
Astronomers have detected and traced the most distant fast radio burst ever recorded, a powerful flash of radio waves that travelled for more than 10 billion years across the cosmos before reaching Earth.
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are among the most mysterious objects in astronomy. Lasting only milliseconds, they release enormous amounts of energy but their origins remain uncertain.
The discovery, led by researchers Dr Manisha Caleb and Dr Themiya Nanayakkara from the University of Sydney, is published today in the prestigious journal Science .
The MeerTRAP project used South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope to detect the burst, designated FRB 20240304B, before identifying its host galaxy using observations from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope .
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