Astronomers Surprising Discovery of a Radio Galaxy That Became a Blazar

On April 2, 2023, a team of astronomers announced a remarkable discovery: a galaxy that changed its shape and behavior in a matter of decades.

The galaxy, named PBC J2333.9-2343, was previously classified as a giant radio galaxy, which emits large structures of radio waves perpendicular to our line of sight.

These structures are formed by powerful jets of plasma that erupt from the supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s center.

From Radio Galaxy to Blazar

However, recent observations using different telescopes revealed that PBC J2333.9-2343 has undergone a dramatic transformation, reported Science Alert.

The galaxy’s core has switched back on, aiming its jet directly toward us. This makes the galaxy appear much brighter and more energetic than before.

This phenomenon is known as a blazar, a subset of active galaxies that feature a supermassive black hole at their center radiating powerful jets of particles into space – directly on the observer.

A Rare and Rapid Change

Blazars are among the most powerful sources of radiation in the universe, and their intense emission is believed to be produced by these relativistic jets of particles.

However, it is very rare for a galaxy to change from a radio galaxy to a blazar in such a short time span. The astronomers estimate that the jet of PBC J2333.9-2343 has turned almost 90 degrees in Earth’s direction since the last observation in 2015.

A New Window into Galaxy Evolution

The transformation of PBC J2333.9-2343 could provide important insights into the behavior of supermassive black holes and the evolution of active galaxies.

It is the first example of a non-X-shaped radio galaxy changing its jet direction, which could be caused by several factors, such as gravitational interactions with other galaxies or changes in the accretion disk around the black hole.

The discovery also highlights the importance of continued research on active galaxies and the complex processes that govern their dynamics.

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