Cosmic bridge of radio waves provides first evidence of magnetic fields between galaxy clusters
Astrophysicists have discovered a giant ridge of plasma emitting radio waves that connects two galaxy clusters 10 million light years apart.
This cosmic bridge provides the first direct evidence of magnetic fields between galaxy clusters, astrophysicists report today in the journal Science.
“Typically, we observe emissions related to this mechanism within individual galaxies, and even in galaxy clusters, but radio emissions connecting clusters has never been observed before,” said the study’s lead author Federica Govoni from the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF).
Key points:
The LOFAR radio telescope in Europe took an image showing a faint source of radio waves between a pair of galaxy clusters
This confirms there must be magnetic fields existing between the two clusters
Scientists want to find out whether this phenomenon exists in other parts of the universe
more….