In a landmark discovery that links the ancient waters of Manipur’s Loktak Lake to the birth of the Universe, astrophysicist Dr. Ronaldo Laishram has identified a massive “city of galaxies” from when the Universe was just 1.2 billion years old. The structure has been officially named the Loktak Protocluster. The findings, led by the Manipur-born researcher at Japan’s National Astronomical Observatory (NAOJ), were published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, one of the world’s premier astronomy journals. The Loktak Protocluster is a giant assembly of young galaxies observed as they existed 12.6 billion years ago. It consists of four connected concentrations of galaxies forming one vast evolving system — strikingly similar to how Loktak Lake’s famous floating phumdis form connected islands within a single body of water. “This is not just a scientific discovery. It is a personal and cultural bridge between my homeland and the cosmos,” said Dr. Laishram. “Loktak is deeply connected to Manipur’s identity. Naming this protocluster after Loktak Lake is my way of telling the world that this land, its lakes, and its people also have a place in the story of the Universe.” The research team used powerful data from Japan’s Subaru Telescope and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to uncover the structure. The study reveals that even in the infant Universe, galaxies in dense environments were already evolving differently from those in quieter regions — showing that a galaxy’s “neighborhood” shapes its growth from the very beginning. Dr. Ronaldo Laishram, originally from Khangabok in Thoubal District, Manipur, is the son of late Laishram Mahajon Singh and Laishram Sanahanbi Devi. He completed his Master’s and PhD at Tohoku University, Japan, and is currently based at NAOJ in Tokyo. His passion for the stars began early — at age 18, he discovered a preliminary asteroid and was felicitated by former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Beyond his research, Dr. Laishram serves as Founding Coordinator of the Manipur Astronomical Society (MAS) and is actively involved in science outreach and education initiatives across Northeast India.Astronomers describe a protocluster as the early precursor to a modern galaxy cluster — essentially a cosmic city still under construction by gravity. By naming it “Loktak,” the discovery gives Manipur and its iconic lake a permanent and poetic place in humanity’s understanding of the Universe. The full paper, titled “Discovery of a z ≃ 4.9 Lyα Emitter Protocluster: Wavelength-dependent Environmental Effects on Galaxy Structure” by Laishram et al., is now available in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. This breakthrough is already generating excitement, with hopes it will inspire a new generation of young scientists in Manipur and Northeast India — proving that the path from the floating islands of Loktak to the farthest reaches of the cosmos is closer than they ever imagined. With this discovery, the Loktak Protocluster will forever echo Manipur’s name across the cosmos, inspiring generations to look up at the stars and dream bigger. signpostnews.com/manipurs-lokta…
