Most Distant Hydroxyl Megamaser Discovered

Recently, astronomers discovered a distant hydroxyl megamaser using the MeerKAT radio telescope.

• The megamaser is located over 8 billion light-years from Earth.
• It was detected in a violent collision between gas-rich galaxies.
• The discovery pushed detection limits to redshift z = 1.027.
• Earlier surveys detected megamasers only up to redshift 0.25.
• Hydroxyl megamasers produce powerful radio-wavelength emissions.
• They occur when hydroxyl molecules amplify radio signals during galaxy mergers.
• The emissions operate at radio wavelengths around 18 centimetres.
• The newly discovered system is named HATLAS J142935.3-002836.
• Scientists described the emission as a “gigalaser” due to its extreme brightness.
• The phenomenon existed when the universe was about 6 billion years ....