Astronomers Discover Alaknanda, a Stunning Twin of the Milky Way

Astronomers have announced the discovery of a galaxy named Alaknanda, which closely resembles the Milky Way. This galaxy, detected using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), offers a glimpse into the universe’s early days, existing just 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang. Alaknanda is located approximately 11 billion light-years from Earth and is positioned near the massive Abell 2744 cluster.

The discovery was made by Indian astronomers Rashi Jain and Yogesh Wadadekar while they were analysing deep observations from the JWST. They were particularly captivated by a spiral galaxy that bore an extraordinary resemblance to a young version of our own galaxy, often referred to as Akashganga in Hindi.

Astonishing Structure and Star Formation

Alaknanda is not only visually striking but also remarkably well-structured for a galaxy of its age. It spans roughly 30,000 light-years and features two sweeping spiral arms around a bright central bulge, characteristics typical of a grand-design spiral galaxy. This level of organisation challenges previous assumptions that such structures required billions of years to develop through mergers and stabilisation.

The galaxy exhibits a vigorous star formation rate, producing new stars at a pace nearly 60 times the mass of the Sun each year. This rate is approximately 20 times faster than that of the Milky Way today. Research indicates that half of Alaknanda’s stellar population formed in a brief period of just 200 million years, suggesting rapid gas inflow and cooling processes that outpace existing theoretical models.

Gravitational Lensing and Implications

The discovery of Alaknanda was facilitated by a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. The immense gravity of the nearby Abell 2744 cluster bends and magnifies the light from Alaknanda, effectively allowing astronomers to observe it with enhanced clarity. This natural cosmic telescope doubled the galaxy’s apparent brightness and sharpened its spiral arms in infrared images captured by the JWST.

As one of the earliest known grand-design spirals, Alaknanda poses significant implications for our understanding of galaxy formation. Its existence suggests that the conditions necessary for the emergence of planets and potentially life may have arisen much earlier in the universe than previously thought. Such findings compel researchers to reconsider established timelines regarding cosmic evolution and the development of ordered structures in the universe.

Alaknanda’s discovery not only enriches our knowledge of the early universe but also opens new avenues for exploration in the field of astronomy. With the capabilities of the JWST, scientists can continue to unravel the mysteries of galaxies and their formation, contributing to our broader understanding of cosmic history.