CHIME telescope, with Raman Research Institute scientists, detects early-universe hydrogen glow on its own
The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) telescope, in a collaboration including India's Raman Research Institute, made its first standalone detection of the glow of hydrogen from when the universe was about five billion years old (reported 30 September 2026).
Summary
CHIME, an interferometric radio telescope in Canada built to map hydrogen gas in the early universe, detected the faint hydrogen glow using only its own data for the first time. Researchers from the Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, were part of the study, published in The Astrophysical Journal. The method offers a faster, cheaper way to study cosmic expansion and dark energy.
Key facts
- Telescope
- CHIME – Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (Canada)
- Indian partner
- Raman Research Institute (DST autonomous institute)
- Detection
- Glow of hydrogen when the universe was ~5 billion years old
- Purpose
- Study cosmic expansion and dark energy
- Published in
- The Astrophysical Journal
Practice MCQs 1 questions
Which Indian institute was part of the CHIME collaboration that made the first standalone detection of early-universe hydrogen glow (reported September 2026)?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Raman Research Institute
CHIME collaborators at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of DST, were part of the study.