WISE J224607.57−052635.0

(Redirected from W2246-0526)

WISE J224607.57−052635.0 (or W2246−0526 for short)[3] is an extremely luminous infrared galaxy (ELIRG) which, in 2015, was announced as the most luminous known galaxy in the observable universe.[3][4][5] The brightness of this galaxy is 350 trillion times[3] that of the Sun (349×1012L[1]). The merger of smaller nearby galaxies may be contributing to its brightness.[3][4][5] The light is generated by a quasar 10 billion times the mass of the Sun. The high energy[6] optical light and ultraviolet light emitted by the accretion disc around the quasar's supermassive black hole is absorbed by the galaxy's dust and re-emitted in the infrared. The galaxy releases 10,000 times more energy than the Milky Way galaxy, although WISE J224607.57–052635.0 is the smaller of the two. WISE J224607.57–052635.0 has a light-travel distance of 12.5 billion light years from it to Earth. The galaxy was discovered using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.[1][2][7][8][9]

WISE J224607.57−052635.0
ALMA image of W2246−0526 merging with three nearby smaller galaxies
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationAquarius
Right ascension22h 46m 07.57s[1]
Declination−05° 26′ 35.0″[1]
Redshift4.593[1]
Distance12.5 billion light-years (3.8 billion parsecs) (light travel distance) [2]
25 billion light-years (7.7 billion parsecs)
(comoving distance)
Characteristics
TypeLIRG
Size30,000 ly (9,200 pc)
(W2246-0526)
100,000 ly (31,000 pc)
Apparent size (V)0.008 x 0.004 (W2246-0526)
0.03 x 0.015
Notable featuresInteracting galaxies
Other designations
W2246−0526;[3] WISE 2246−0526;
WISE J224607.55−052634.9;[3]
WISE J224607.56−052634.9,[4] SDSS J224607.65-052639.4, [JBS2014] WJ2246-0526
Artist's impression of W2246-0526

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Tsai, Chao-Wei; et al. (22 May 2015). "The Most Luminous Galaxies Discovered by WISE". The Astrophysical Journal. 805 (2): 90. arXiv:1410.1751. Bibcode:2015ApJ...805...90T. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/90. S2CID 39280020.
  2. ^ a b Staff (21 May 2015). "WISE spacecraft discovers most luminous galaxy in universe". PhysOrg. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Cofield, Calla; Blue, Charles (15 November 2018). "The Most Luminous Galaxy Is Eating Its Neighbors". NASA. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Diaz-Santos, T.; et al. (15 November 2018). "The multiple merger assembly of a hyperluminous obscured quasar at redshift 4.6". Science. 362 (6416): 1034–1036. arXiv:1811.05992. Bibcode:2018Sci...362.1034D. doi:10.1126/science.aap7605. PMID 30442765. S2CID 53567900.
  5. ^ a b Tsai, Chao-Wei; et al. (14 November 2018). "Super-Eddington Accretion in the WISE-selected Extremely Luminous Infrared Galaxy W2246−0526". The Astrophysical Journal. 868 (1): 15. arXiv:1810.02933. Bibcode:2018ApJ...868...15T. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aae698. S2CID 119477702.
  6. ^ "NASA's WISE Spacecraft Discovers Most Luminous Galaxy in Universe - NASA". Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  7. ^ "PIA19339: Dusty 'Sunrise' at Core of Galaxy (Artist's Concept)". NASA. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  8. ^ Chou, Felicia; Clavin, Whitney (21 May 2015). "NASA's WISE Spacecraft Discovers Most Luminous Galaxy in Universe". Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  9. ^ Lemonick, Michael D. (26 May 2015). "Brightest Galaxy Yet Shines With Light of 300 Trillion Suns". National Geographic News. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
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