Recently, a team of astronomers made an extraordinary discovery: a new giant radio galaxy (GRG) named Inkathazo, detected using the MeerKAT telescope located in South Africa. This cosmic structure, measuring an astonishing 3.3 million light-years from end to end, has captured the scientific community’s curiosity not only for its size but also for the peculiarities of its formation and location.
Inkathazo, whose name means “problem” in the African languages isiXhosa and isiZulu, earned its nickname due to the challenges it has posed in understanding the physics behind its complex structure. Giant radio galaxies like this one are known for emitting powerful plasma jets that can stretch millions of light-years across intergalactic space.
These jets, visible in radio frequencies, are generated by supermassive black holes located at the galaxies’ cores. In Inkathazo’s case, these jets were observed in red and yellow tones thanks to MeerKAT’s sensitivity.

Although GRGs have traditionally been considered rare phenomena, advancements in observational technology, such as next-generation telescopes, are changing this perception. According to Kathleen Charlton, lead author of the study and a master’s student at the University of Cape Town, the number of GRG discoveries has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to telescopes like MeerKAT.
Inkathazo’s case is especially intriguing because it does not fully align with the typical characteristics of similar galaxies. One of its plasma jets exhibits an unusual curvature instead of extending linearly. Additionally, this galaxy is not isolated like many GRGs but is located in the heart of a galaxy cluster—an environment where the gravitational and dynamic interactions of the surrounding medium would normally hinder the growth of such massive structures.
To unravel Inkathazo’s peculiarities, researchers utilized MeerKAT’s advanced capabilities to create high-resolution spectral maps. These maps allow scientists to trace the age of the plasma in different regions of the galaxy, revealing how the electrons’ energy changes over time. The results revealed unexpected processes, such as increases in electron energy caused by collisions of plasma jets with hot gases in intergalactic voids.

Study co-author Dr. Kshitij Thorat noted that this discovery challenges current models of the physics behind these extreme galaxies. This discovery provides a unique opportunity to study the physics of GRGs in detail. The results suggest that we still have much to learn about the plasma processes occurring in these galaxies.
Inkathazo is just one of three GRGs detected in a small region of the sky known as COSMOS, which spans an area equivalent to five full moons. These discoveries, made by the international MIGHTEE collaboration, highlight the untapped potential of the southern hemisphere’s skies for uncovering massive structures. Dr. Jacinta Delhaize, another key researcher, stated that MeerKAT is incredibly powerful and perfectly positioned to unveil more secrets about these galaxies.
This telescope, operating as a precursor to the ambitious Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, has proven to be an invaluable tool for modern astronomy. With unprecedented sensitivity and resolution, MeerKAT is not only transforming our understanding of giant radio galaxies but also paving the way for future discoveries that could solve some of the cosmos’s greatest mysteries.
SOURCES
K K L Charlton, J Delhaize, K Thorat, et al., A spatially resolved spectral analysis of giant radio galaxies with MeerKAT, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 537, Issue 1, February 2025, Pages 272–284, doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae2543
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