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RandomFactor [soylentnews.org] writes:

Using radio astronomy, over 200 astronomers hailing from 18 different countries have gathered over 20 petabyes of date and published a new map of the night sky that has over 300,000 previously undiscovered galaxies in it.

In-depth coverage here [astron.nl]. Mainstream articles here [yahoo.com] and here [cbsnews.com].

Good Video Fly through the LOFAR Survey radio Universe [youtube.com]. LOFAR image gallery here [lofar-surveys.org]

The team used the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope in the Netherlands to pick up traces -- or "jets" -- of ancient radiation produced when galaxies merge. These jets, previously undetected, can extend over millions of light years.

"With radio observations we can detect radiation from the tenuous medium that exists between galaxies," said Amanda Wilber, of the University of Hamburg.

"LOFAR allows us to detect many more of these sources and understand what is powering them."

These jets occur near the supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies.

These detections are only the beginning however, so buckle in and prep for lightspeed

The LOFAR telescope, which is made up of a network of radio antenna located across seven European countries, has helped scientists chart just just 2 percent of the sky so far. The team plans to create high-resolution images of the entire northern sky, which they say will reveal up to 15 million previously undetected radio sources.

Too bad it can't focus in on Proxima Centauri.

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