Unveiling the ‘Eye of Sauron’: Astronomers Discover a Stunning Cosmic Phenomenon in Deep Space

A breathtaking image of a cosmic jet has recently revealed secrets about a peculiar space object. This object, known as a blazar, is an active galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole. It’s like a cosmic puzzle that scientists have been working to solve for over a decade. The discovery likens the blazar to the “Eye of Sauron” from mythology, shining bright in the universe.

Researchers focused on a specific blazar called PKS 1424+240, noted for its intense emission of high-energy gamma rays and neutrinos. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory identified it as the brightest neutrino-emitting blazar, while ground-based telescopes observed its powerful gamma rays. Interestingly, the radio jet of this blazar seemed to move rather slowly, which went against what many expected.

Thanks to 15 years of precise observations using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), scientists created an impressive image of this jet. Yuri Kovalev, the study’s lead author, shared his excitement: “When we reconstructed the image, it looked absolutely stunning.” The jet reveals a nearly perfect magnetic structure that plays a crucial role in how it emits energy.

Because the jet is aligned closely with Earth, its brightness is amplified. Jack Livingston, a co-author, noted that this alignment boosts brightness significantly—by a factor of 30 or more—making it an optical illusion that the jet appears slow-moving.

This rare alignment allowed scientists to study the jet’s magnetic field structure in detail, providing insights into how particles are accelerated to extreme energies. Kovalev concludes that blazars are not just powerful sources of electrons but also protons, possibly explaining the origins of high-energy neutrinos.

The findings come from the MOJAVE program, which has relentlessly monitored these jets. It connects radio telescopes worldwide to form a virtual telescope the size of Earth, enabling remarkable detail in observations. “What started as a dream is now a reality,” said Anton Zensus, Director at MPIfR, highlighting the significance of the findings.

This breakthrough reinforces the connections between relativistic jets, high-energy neutrinos, and magnetic fields, marking a significant step in what’s known as multimessenger astronomy.

For further reading, consider checking out the full study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

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