Loktak Protocluster

Why in News?

An Indian researcher based in Japan has named a newly discovered large structure of galaxies after Manipur’s Loktak Lake, seeking to “immortalise” the northeastern state’s identity in the cosmos.

• Loktak Protocluster – It is a primitive galaxy cluster, described by scientists as a "city of galaxies" that is still being built by the forces of gravity.
• Discovery – Led by Dr Ronaldo Laishram, an astrophysicist from Manipur who is currently a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ).
• Age – The Loktak Protocluster is seen as it existed 12.6 billion years ago.
• Cosmic Timeline – At that point, the universe was only about 1.2 billion years old, meaning these galaxies are some of the earliest to form.
• Telescopes Used – The structure was studied using the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii and the James Webb Space Telescope.
• Naming – The name reflects a parallel between Loktak’s connected phumdis and the galaxy clusters, showing how nature and the cosmos share similar patterns of unity.

Quick Fact

References

1. The Hindu | Indian researcher names newly discovered galaxy structure after Manipur’s Loktak Lake
2. NDTV | Indian scientist discovers galaxy names it after Manipur's Loktak Lake