Astronomy:TXS 0033+252

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TXS 0033+252
DESI Legacy DR9 image of TXS 0033+252
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationAndromeda
Right ascension00h 36m 15.692s
Declination+25° 33' 29.99"
Redshift0.62542
Distance5.936 bly (1,820 mpc)
Characteristics
Mass195.21 billion M
Size48,700 ly (14,940 pc)
Other designations
TXS 0033+252, NVSS J003616+253332, ILT J003621.03+253500.9

TXS 0033+252 also known as NVSS J003616+253332, is a radio galaxy located in the constellation of Andromeda.[1] The galaxy is approximately 5.94 billion light years (1,820 megaparsecs) away and has an apparent Z magnitude of 19.4.[2][3] It was discovered in 1987 by the Green Bank Telescope in the 87GB survey of radio sources.[4] As of 2024, TXS 0033+252 is the largest known radio galaxy with an extent of 8 megaparsecs.[3]

Physical properties

The galaxy is a small, medium-mass galaxy that is not associated with any galaxy clusters, classifying it as a field galaxy.[1] It has a diameter of 48,700 light years (14.94 kiloparsecs) based on a distance of 5.94 billion light years (1,820 megaparsecs) and an angular diameter of 1.693 arcsecs. It also has an estimated stellar mass of 195 billion M.[3]

In 2024, it was discovered from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) that TXS 0033+252 hosted a radio structure with an extent of 7.985 megaparsecs across or 26.04 million light years based on an angular diameter of 19 arcmin.[2][3] As of 2025, this is believed to be the largest radio structure of any radio galaxy, succeeding Porphyrion in size which is 7 megaparsecs across.[5]

See also

  • List of largest radio galaxies, includes TXS 0033+252.
  • Porphyrion, previous largest radio galaxy.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "SIMBAD Results for TXS 0033+252". https://simbad.cds.unistra.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=TXS+0033%2B252. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mostert, Rafaël (2024). "Constraining the giant radio galaxy population with machine learning and Bayesian inference". Astronomy & Astrophysics 691: A185. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202348897. Bibcode2024A&A...691A.185M. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Hardcastle, Martin (2023). "The LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey". Astronomy & Astrophysics 678: A151. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202347333. 
  4. Gregory, P. C. (1987). "The 87GB Catalog of Radio Sources Covering 0 degrees < delta < +75 degrees at 4.85 GHz". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 75: 1011. doi:10.1086/191559. Bibcode1991ApJS...75.1011G. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1991ApJS...75.1011G/abstract. Retrieved 7 December 2025. 
  5. Oei, Martijn (2024). "Black hole jets on the scale of the cosmic web". Nature 633 (8030): 537–541. doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07879-y. PMID 39294348. Bibcode2024Natur.633..537O.