.jpg)
The image shows these magnetic threads existing at the center of the Milky Way galaxy in the form of vertical straight strands – Image: Oxford University.
According to a recent image from telescopes, there are almost 1,000 mysterious magnetic threads found at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. These pairs and clusters of threads stretch for nearly 150 light-years and are evenly spaced.
These peculiar structures are millions of years old and come in various forms. Some of the threads resemble harp strings, waterfalls, or even loops around Earth-like stars.
However, until now, astronomers have not been able to grasp the true nature and origin of these threads, as reported by CNN.
Mr. Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, a physics and astronomy professor at Northwestern University (USA), first discovered these threads 35 years ago through radio waves. He determined that they are created by cosmic-ray electrons moving through magnetic fields at speeds nearly equal to that of light.
Now, thanks to MeerKAT, the radio astronomy telescope in South Africa, astronomers have found more than ten times the number of threads compared to Mr. Yusef-Zadeh’s earlier discovery.
Over three years, using 20 different observation systems while looking towards the Milky Way galaxy, located 25,000 light-years away from Earth, astronomers pieced together the details to form a new cosmic picture with these threads.
“We’ve been studying individual threads for a long time. Now we have a panoramic view with countless threads… It’s like a modern art masterpiece. These images are incredibly beautiful and rich. The mystery of these threads makes it even more intriguing,” said Mr. Yusef-Zadeh.
Astronomers believe these threads are likely connected to activities caused by supermassive black holes in the past, rather than stellar explosions.
The research team also identified stronger magnetic fields along the threads.
While the team works to identify each thread, they are still trying to figure out why there is an equal spacing between thread clusters. It is possible that these threads are connected to gigantic gas balloon structures at the center of the galaxy, based on Mr. Yusef-Zadeh’s earlier discovery in 2019.
“We hope to get to the bottom of this. However, a full understanding of such complex objects takes time,” he said.