Manipur Astrophysicist Ronaldo Laishram Names 12.6-Billion-Year-Old Galaxy Protocluster After Loktak Lake
An international team led by Ronaldo Laishram has discovered a massive structure of young galaxies dating back nearly 12.6 billion years, providing new insight into the evolution of galaxies in the early Universe.
The discovery, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, identifies a giant protocluster named the “Loktak Protocluster,” inspired by Loktak Lake — the iconic freshwater lake of Manipur known for its floating phumdis.
Astronomers describe a protocluster as an early-stage galaxy cluster, often referred to as a “city of galaxies” that is still forming through gravitational interaction. Researchers found that the newly discovered structure existed when the Universe was only about 1.2 billion years old.
According to the study, the Loktak Protocluster contains four interconnected concentrations of galaxies evolving together. Scientists compared the arrangement to the floating phumdis of Loktak Lake, which remain naturally connected across the lake’s surface.
Dr. Ronaldo Laishram, currently a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, said the decision to name the structure after Loktak Lake was a tribute to his roots and the cultural identity of Manipur.
He stated that Loktak Lake is deeply connected to the identity of the people of Manipur and expressed pride in linking the state’s name with a major scientific discovery connected to the Universe.
The international research team used observations from the Subaru Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope to analyse the distant protocluster.
Their findings suggest that galaxies located in dense cosmic environments may have evolved differently from galaxies in less crowded regions even during the earliest stages of the Universe. Researchers believe the study provides important evidence that environmental conditions strongly influence galaxy growth and structural evolution.
Originally from Khangabok in Thoubal district of Manipur, Dr. Laishram completed both his Master’s degree and PhD in astronomy at Tohoku University before joining the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Tokyo.
His scientific work mainly focuses on galaxy formation and evolution, and he has contributed to several international astronomy research publications.
Dr. Laishram’s interest in astronomy reportedly began at an early age. At the age of 18, he discovered a preliminary asteroid and was later felicitated by former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
Apart from his research activities, he is also the founding coordinator of the Manipur Astronomical Society, which promotes astronomy awareness among students and young people across Northeast India.
He is additionally associated with mentorship platform OviEdu and the MitSna Foundation, which works in the field of education and youth development in Manipur.
The research paper titled “Discovery of a z ≃ 4.9 Lyα Emitter Protocluster: Wavelength-dependent Environmental Effects on Galaxy Structure” was authored by Ronaldo Laishram and fellow international researchers.
