Indian-Led Team Discovers Ancient ‘Loktak Protocluster’ Dating Back 12.6 Billion Years

An international team of astronomers led by Indian scientist Ronaldo Laishram has discovered a massive ancient structure of galaxies believed to have formed nearly 12.6 billion years ago, providing fresh insight into the early evolution of the universe. The newly identified structure has been named the “Loktak Protocluster,” inspired by the famous Loktak Lake in Manipur.

The discovery, recently published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, is being described by researchers as a “city of galaxies” from the universe’s infancy. Scientists said the protocluster existed when the universe was only around 1.2 billion years old, making it one of the earliest large-scale galaxy structures ever identified.

Researchers used data gathered from advanced observatories, including the Subaru Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, to analyse the distant galaxy group. According to scientists, the galaxies within the cluster are densely packed and connected through gravitational interactions, offering important clues about how modern galaxy clusters may have evolved over billions of years.

Dr. Laishram, who is originally from Manipur and currently associated with the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, said the structure was named after Loktak Lake to honour his home state and its cultural heritage. He noted similarities between the interconnected galaxies and the floating “phumdis” found on the lake, which are naturally formed floating islands unique to the region.

Astronomers believe the discovery could help improve scientific understanding of how galaxies formed, interacted, and evolved in crowded cosmic environments during the early stages of the universe. The finding has also drawn attention to the increasing contributions of Indian-origin researchers in international space and astronomy projects. Dr. Laishram had earlier gained recognition for discovering a preliminary asteroid during his teenage years and has continued promoting astronomy awareness and education in Northeast India.