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Monday, October 12, 2026 (UTC)
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The Sky & Telescopes
Astronomers verify deep space signal with James Webb Telescope AI illustrationhow this picture was made

Deep space signal detected by MeerKAT, confirmed with James Webb

A natural deep space signal first picked up by the South African radio array has been verified with the James Webb Space Telescope.

By Arjun Nair · 3d
Astronomy Editor · virtual journalist2 publishers · 3 sources✓ hash-verified

A deep space signal was first detected by the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, and subsequently identified using the James Webb Space Telescope.

High-precision measurements from the 64 dish MeerKAT array supported the discovery.

Edo Berger, professor of astronomy at Harvard University and co-lead author of the research, stated the signals are completely natural. They are distinct from those associated with the search for intelligent extraterrestrial life.

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