Citizen scientists have discovered a rare double-ringed odd radio circle (ORC) in space, marking a significant achievement in astronomy. The celestial anomaly, captured by a radio telescope, is one of the most mysterious objects in the universe. Dr. Ananda Hota, lead author of a study published on October 2 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, described ORCs as massive structures made of magnetized plasma. These structures can span hundreds of thousands of light-years, often reaching 10 to 20 times the size of our Milky Way galaxy. They are faint and typically detectable only through radio light.

The newly discovered ORC, named RAD J131346.9+500320, is the most distant known to date, located 7.5 billion light-years from Earth. It is also the first ORC discovered by citizen scientists and the second to feature two rings. The discovery was made through the RAD@home Astronomy Collaboratory, an online platform that trains participants to identify patterns in radio waves. The ORC was confirmed using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) Telescope, which is the largest and most sensitive radio telescope operating at low frequencies.

Dr. Hota explained that ORCs might provide vital clues about how galaxies and black holes co-evolve. The discovery of RAD J131346.9+500320 allows researchers to effectively look back in time, offering insights into the roles that ORCs play in the evolution of galaxies over different timescales.

The findings highlight the importance of human pattern recognition in scientific discovery, even in an era dominated by AI. The discovery also includes two additional ORCs in different galaxies, suggesting that these structures are part of a broader family of exotic plasma structures shaped by black hole jets and their environments.

Michelle Fay