Why in News: Dr. Ronaldo Laishram — astrophysicist at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), originally from Khangabok, Thoubal district, Manipur — has led an international team that discovered and named a 12.6-billion-year-old protocluster of galaxies the Loktak Protocluster. The name honours Manipur’s iconic Loktak Lake because the four connected galaxy concentrations resemble the lake’s floating phumdis. Findings appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters using observations from the Subaru Telescope; coverage emerged on May 26, 2026.
The naming bridges cutting-edge cosmology with India’s Northeast and showcases the diaspora’s growing role in global astronomy.
About the Loktak Protocluster
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 12.6 billion years |
| Cosmic era | “Cosmic noon” — peak star formation epoch |
| Light-emission moment | When the universe was ~1.2 billion years old |
| Universe’s current age | ~13.8 billion years (ΛCDM cosmology) |
| Structure | 4 connected galaxy concentrations |
| Future evolution | Gravity-bound precursor of a present-day galaxy cluster |
What is a Protocluster?
- The earliest assembly stage of what will become a mature galaxy cluster — a “city of galaxies.”
- Galaxy clusters typically host 100–1,000 galaxies and are the largest gravitationally-bound structures in the universe.
- Protoclusters offer a rare window into how the cosmic web and large-scale structure formed in the early universe.
About the Subaru Telescope
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | 8.2-metre optical-infrared telescope |
| Location | Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii (4,200 m elevation) |
| Operator | NAOJ |
| First light | 1999 |
| Distinction | Among the largest single-mirror telescopes globally |
About NAOJ
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
- Headquartered in Mitaka, Tokyo.
- Founded in 1988.
- Major facilities: Subaru (Hawaii), ALMA (Chile partnership), Nobeyama and Mizusawa observatories.
About Loktak Lake — The Namesake
Loktak Lake is the cultural and ecological heart of Manipur, and the protocluster’s four-island morphology mirrors the lake’s floating phumdis.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | Largest freshwater lake in NE India |
| Location | Bishnupur district, Manipur |
| Area | ~287 km² (fluctuating) |
| Ramsar site | Since March 23, 1990 (#463 globally) |
| Within the lake | Keibul Lamjao National Park — only floating national park in the world (notified 1977) |
| Flagship species | Sangai deer (Rucervus eldii eldii) — Manipur’s state animal |
| Sangai population | ~260 individuals (2016 census) |
| Unique feature | Phumdis — floating biomass islands |
| Major threats | Loktak Hydroelectric Project, encroachment, eutrophication |
Indian Astronomy Infrastructure
| Facility | Detail |
|---|---|
| GMRT — Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope | Khodad, Pune; operated by NCRA-TIFR; world-leading low-frequency radio telescope |
| ASTROSAT | Launched September 28, 2015; India’s first multi-wavelength space observatory |
| Aditya-L1 | Launched September 2, 2023; solar observation at L1 Lagrange point |
| TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope) | India is a 10% partner; under construction at Mauna Kea (delayed) |
| SKA (Square Kilometre Array) | India joined as observer in 2023; full member in 2024; contributing to the TM consortium |
Indian Diaspora in Global Science
- C.V. Raman — Nobel Prize in Physics, 1930.
- S. Chandrasekhar — Nobel Prize in Physics, 1983 (University of Chicago).
- Hargobind Khorana — Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1968.
- Venkatraman Ramakrishnan — Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2009 (MRC, Cambridge).
- Modern astronauts of Indian origin: Sunita Williams, Raja Chari (NASA); Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla flew on Axiom-4 to the ISS in 2025.
Sangai Deer Ecology
- Endemic to Keibul Lamjao.
- Locally called the “Manipur brow-antlered deer” or “dancing deer” because of its movement on phumdis.
- IUCN status: Endangered.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act Schedule I.
- Habitat health depends entirely on lake water levels that sustain phumdis.
Way Forward
- Deepen India–NAOJ collaboration, especially via the TMT consortium and Subaru observing time.
- Leverage Indian-origin researchers for capacity-building in domestic astronomy.
- Protect Loktak Lake under the Ramsar framework and the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006.
- Expand astronomy outreach and research infrastructure across Northeast India.
UPSC Relevance
- GS Paper 3 — Achievements of Indians in science and technology; space and astronomy.
- GS Paper 1 — Geography of NE India; wetlands and unique ecosystems.
- Prelims — Loktak Lake (Ramsar #463), Keibul Lamjao, Sangai deer, Subaru Telescope, ASTROSAT, Aditya-L1.
- Mains — Role of the Indian scientific diaspora; conservation of unique freshwater ecosystems.
Facts Corner
- Loktak Protocluster — age 12.6 billion years.
- Discoverer: Dr. Ronaldo Laishram, NAOJ (originally from Khangabok, Thoubal, Manipur).
- Telescope: Subaru (NAOJ, Mauna Kea, Hawaii, 8.2 m).
- Universe age: ~13.8 billion years.
- NAOJ established 1988; HQ Mitaka, Tokyo.
- Loktak Lake — largest freshwater lake in NE India; ~287 km².
- Loktak Ramsar site since March 23, 1990 (#463 globally).
- Keibul Lamjao NP — only floating national park in the world; notified 1977.
- Sangai deer: ~260 individuals (2016 census); IUCN Endangered; Manipur’s state animal.
- Phumdis — floating biomass islands of Loktak.
- GMRT — Khodad, Pune; NCRA-TIFR.
- ASTROSAT launched September 28, 2015.
- Aditya-L1 launched September 2, 2023.
- TMT — India is a 10% partner; under construction at Mauna Kea (delayed).
- SKA — India became a full member in 2024.
- Subaru first light: 1999.
Sources: NAOJ, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, PIB
Source: Loktak Protocluster: Manipuri Astrophysicist Names 12.6-Billion-Year-Old City of Galaxies — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
