It is the first time that scientists have detected a signal that originates from another galaxy located 9 billion light years away from Earth.
The radio signal was captured by the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope located in Pune, India.
The massive radio telescope has a field of 30 dish antennas, each measuring around 150 feet in diameter and pointing skyward.
The 21-centimeter line, often known as the hydrogen line, is a distinctive radio signal with a distinctive wavelength that was discovered by scientists using this powerful telescope. Atoms of neutral hydrogen emit this signal.
Unfortunately, aliens did not send this unusual signal. It originates from the galaxy SDSSJ0826+5630. “Star forming galaxy” describes the galaxy.
The radio signal’s unique feature is that it was produced when the Milky Way Galaxy, of which Earth is a member, was only 4.9 billion years old. The Milky Way Galaxy is thought to be 13.8 billion years old at the moment.
Hence, it took 9 billion years for the signal to reach Earth. For the scientists, the radio signal is one way to look back in time 9 billion years ago.
There have been other radio signals detected from nearby galaxies but this is the farthest signal detected so far.
The radio signal from SDSSJ0826+5630 has allowed the scientists to measure the mass and gas content of the galaxy. Using this information, scientists determine that the far-off galaxy may have double the mass of stars which are visible from Earth.
The study involving the discovery of this radio signal was just released in January 2023.
