2MASX J10222849+5006200
A massive elliptical galaxy with a dramatic radio jet history, forming a rare Detached-Double-Double Radio Galaxy system.
2MASX J10222849+5006200, cataloged as LEDA 2362940, is a giant Type-cD elliptical galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. It lies about 2.4 billion light-years away (redshift 0.15) and spans roughly 660,000 light-years in diameter, placing it among the largest known galaxies. Optically bright, it serves as the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) of Abell 980, a galaxy cluster at redshift 0.1582. This cluster is X-ray luminous, with an emission of 7.1 × 10⁴⁴ erg s⁻¹ and a mild intracluster medium temperature of 7.1 keV.
The galaxy is a low-excitation radio galaxy, with a 1.4 GHz luminosity ranging from 2 × 10²³ to 3 × 10²⁵ W Hz⁻¹. It possesses an ellipsoidal stellar halo about 80 kiloparsecs across, surrounded by two diffuse, ultra-steep spectrum radio sources that extend roughly 100 kiloparsecs. In August 2022, Indian astronomers from Savitribai Phule Pune University, led by Surajit Paul, detected a burst of radio jet activity from its central black hole. They identified a pair of radio lobes—the oldest such lobes ever observed by the team—along with diffuse radio structures formed 260 million years ago and stretching 1.2 million light-years, using the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope.
Following the primary pair of lobes, a separate team led by Gopal-Krishna found that the galaxy had drifted 250,000 light-years from its original position into the cluster’s central region. There, it entered a new active phase, producing a younger set of radio lobes. Because the old and young lobes lost their collinearity as the parent galaxy moved, the system became a "Detached-Double-Double Radio Galaxy" (dDDRG).
Quick Facts
- Epoch
- J2000.0
- Constellation Name
- Ursa Major
- Ra
- 10 · 22 · 28.44
- Dec
- +50 · 06 · 19.83
- Z
- 0.158413
- H Radial V
- 47,491 km/s
- Dist Ly
- 701.03 ± 49.08 Mpc
- Group Cluster
- Abell 980
- Notes
- Oldest fossil radio galaxy containing double radio lobes
- Names
- OGC 286, LEDA 2362940, NVSS J102228+500620, SDSS J102228.44+500619.8, CXOGSG J102228.4+500619, RX J1022.4+5006:[ZEH2003]
- Mag J
- 13.4
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
An optically bright galaxy, 2MASX J10222849+5006200 is the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) inside the galaxy cluster, Abell 980. The cluster is located at z = 0.1582, and is X-ray luminous (LX = 7.1 × 10^44 erg s−1), containing a mild intracluster medium temperature of 7.1 keV. 2MASX J10222849+5006200 is classified a low-excitation radio galaxy with a 1.4 GHz luminosity range between 2 × 10^23 and 3 × 10^25 W Hz−1. It has an ellipsoidal stellar halo measuring ~80 kpc with two diffuse ultra-steep spectrum radio sources around the galaxy, extending about ~100 kpc. In August 2022, this galaxy became a subject of interest. Indian astronomers from Savitribai Phule Pune University noticed a burst of radio jet activity from its central black hole. Led by Surajit Paul, he mentioned the first pair of radio lobes discovered are the oldest he and the astronomers had seen. They also detected diffuse radio structures formed 260 million years ago and 1.2 million years in length when using the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope. Following the primary pair of radio lobes to 2MASX J10222849+5006200, another team of astronomers led by Gopal-Krishna found the galaxy has drifted to the central region of the cluster by 250,000 light-years from its original position. Here, the galaxy erupted again by going through a new active phase; it created another set of radio lobes, this time younger. Because both the old and young radio lobes lost their collinearity when their parent galaxy moved, this created a 'Detached-Double-Double Radio Galaxy' (dDDRG) system.
Reader's Guide
2MASX J10222849+5006200 is located in the constellation Ursa Major. It is the brightest cluster galaxy of Abell 980. The galaxy's older radio lobes have a spectral age of approximately 260 million years, and the diffuse radio structures are 1.2 million years in length. The galaxy has drifted 250,000 light-years from its original position within the cluster.
Did You Know?
- 2MASX J10222849+5006200 has a diameter of almost 660,000 light-years, making it one of the largest known galaxies.
- The galaxy is classified as a low-excitation radio galaxy.
- Its older pair of radio lobes is the oldest that astronomers Surajit Paul and his team had seen.
- The galaxy's movement created a 'Detached-Double-Double Radio Galaxy' (dDDRG) system due to the loss of collinearity between old and young radio lobes.
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