Astronomers have discovered a radio galaxy so powerful that it may have broken every previous record. Known as TXS 2354+015, this distant object existed nearly 12.5 billion years ago, when the universe was less than 1.2 billion years old.
The galaxy was identified by a team led by Barbara Balmaverde from the INAF Astrophysical Observatory of Turin. Their findings, published on the arXiv preprint server on September 23, 2026, place TXS 2354+015 at a redshift of 4.946, making it the second-most-distant radio galaxy ever found.
What makes these galaxies so interesting is what happens at their centers. As matter falls toward a supermassive black hole, it can trigger enormous jets of plasma that release powerful radio waves. These jets can also heat nearby gas and affect how stars form, making radio galaxies valuable targets for studying the early universe.
A Galaxy That Almost Went Unnoticed
Finding radio galaxies this far away is far from easy. Many are surrounded by thick clouds of dust and gas that hide their central regions from optical telescopes. Their radio jets can still escape, but identifying the galaxies behind them remains a challenge.
A 2024 study cited by the researchers ...