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A Galactic Fossil? Scientists Uncover a 7-Billion-Year-Old Frozen Galaxy

Imagine finding a dinosaur perfectly preserved for billions of years—now replace it with a galaxy! Astronomers have discovered a rare cosmic relic, KiDS J0842+0059, that has remained frozen in time for nearly 7 billion years. This discovery offers a unique glimpse into the universe’s early days.

A Cosmic Time Capsule from the Early Universe
This ancient galaxy, located about 3 billion light-years away, has avoided collisions and mergers, making it a pristine example of the early cosmos. Key features include:
Massive yet compact – Contains 100 billion times the Sun’s mass but is smaller than similar galaxies.
Dormant for eons – Stopped forming stars early, making it a true galactic fossil.
Similar to NGC 1277 – Shares traits with another known relic galaxy in our cosmic neighborhood.

How Scientists Uncovered This Galactic Fossil
The discovery was made using the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona, with initial detection by the Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS) in 2018. Advanced adaptive optics provided images 10 times sharper than before, confirming its unique structure.
Chiara Spiniello, a researcher at the University of Oxford, called this a major breakthrough—the first high-resolution observation of such a distant relic galaxy.

Why This Discovery Matters for Galaxy Evolution
Unlike modern galaxies that grow through mergers, KiDS J0842+0059 remained untouched, offering clues about:
How early galaxies formed and evolved.

Why some galaxies stop forming stars.
The role of cosmic collisions in shaping the universe.
Crescenzo Dove, a co-leader of the study, emphasized that such relics help us piece together the universe’s history. Future missions, like the Euclid space telescope, may uncover even more of these cosmic fossils.

Why is This Important for Competitive Exams?
Questions on space discoveries, galaxy evolution, and telescopes often appear in SSC, PSC, and design entrance exams (NID, NIFT, FDDI). Understanding such breakthroughs can help in:
General Knowledge (GK) sections
Science & Technology-based questions
Current affairs for interview rounds

Sample Questions & Answers for Competitive Exams
Q: What is unique about the galaxy KiDS J0842+0059?
A: It has remained unchanged for nearly 7 billion years, acting as a cosmic time capsule.
Q: Which telescope helped confirm the galaxy’s structure?
A: The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona.
Q: How does this galaxy differ from modern massive galaxies?
A: It never underwent mergers or collisions, remaining dormant.
Q: What is the significance of studying fossil galaxies?
A: They provide insights into the early universe’s formation and evolution.
Q: Which future telescope could find more such relics?
A: The Euclid space telescope.

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✔ Use Most Predicted Questions – Save time by focusing on high-probability topics. MyEntrance.in provides the best-curated questions.
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