Astronomers have discovered a quasar that acts as a gravitational lens, allowing them to weigh and measure a distant galaxy containing a black hole. This groundbreaking observation was made possible by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database and will provide new insights into the distribution of matter in the universe.
Astronomers have discovered the first case of a distant galaxy being magnified by a quasar, allowing them to measure the masses of these host galaxies. This breakthrough provides new insights into galaxy formation and evolution, enabling scientists to better understand the relationship between quasars and their host galaxies.
Astronomers at Yale University have discovered that supermassive black holes undergo huge growth spurts during galactic collisions and remain veiled in dust for extended periods. The team found that these growing black holes spend about half their lives hidden behind a 'veil' of dust.
Astronomers have observed fast-growing primitive black holes at the center of distant galaxies, weighing between 100 million and 10 billion solar masses. The researchers found that these black holes are active and growing, and their growth is linked to the formation of stars in the galaxy.
Researchers have found conclusive evidence of a binary quasar formed by the merger of two galaxies. The discovery uses images from the Carnegie Institution's Magellan telescope in Chile to show tidal tails produced by gravitational attraction, confirming the merger origin for the binary quasar system.
Researchers discovered a mechanism for regulating the rate at which stellar-mass black holes grow, suggesting that they can regulate themselves. The study found that the black hole in GRS 1915+105 toggles between expelling mass via a jet and a wind from its accretion disk.
In a groundbreaking study, scientists have discovered that stars were forming at an incredible rate in the core region of an infant galaxy. With a diameter of just 4000 light-years, the star-forming core of J1148+5251 is incredibly productive and reaches its physical limit.
Astronomers use gravitational lensing effect to magnify light from quasar MG J0414+0534, detecting water vapour at redshift 2.64, a time when the Universe was only a fifth of its current age
Astronomers have discovered a rare event in the life of a distant quasar, marking the first time a huge flow of gas has been seen coming from one. This observation sheds light on how quasars come into being and may hold clues to galaxy formation.
Researchers have discovered two distant galaxies with massive black holes at their centers, challenging previous assumptions about the formation of these cosmic objects. The study reveals that these colossal black holes were present even 12 billion years ago, when the universe was just 1.7 billion years old.
A Dutch school teacher, Hanny van Arkel, discovered a mysterious gaseous object with a hole in the center while classifying galaxy images on the Galaxy Zoo project. Scientists are now investigating this phenomenon, known as 'Hanny's Voorwerp,' which they believe could be a new class of astronomical object, possibly a quasar.
Maarten Schmidt's discovery of high redshifts in quasar 3C273 led to a new understanding of quasars as compact halos surrounding massive black holes. He shares the award with Donald Lynden-Bell for their contributions to astrophysics.
A RIT team successfully simulated the merger of three black holes, confirming a robust computer code and predicting distinct gravitational signatures. The simulation, which uses high-performance computing, is essential for detecting gravity waves that may confirm the existence of black holes.
Researchers used XMM-Newton to observe four polar BAL quasars, finding two of them emitted more X-rays than anticipated, suggesting a lack of absorbing gas. This discovery may indicate that BAL quasars are more complex than initially thought, with both equatorial and polar outflows potentially occurring simultaneously.
The QUASAR trial found that chemotherapy with fluorouracil and folinic acid reduces the risk of recurrence by 22% and death by 18% in patients with stage II colorectal cancer. The absolute improvements are small, but still significant.
A team from Rochester Institute of Technology has confirmed that supermassive black holes launch rotating winds that shape galaxies and regulate their growth. The findings, reported in Nature, provide direct observational confirmation of a long-standing theory about quasar winds.
The BHCosmo simulation reveals the integral role of black holes in galaxy formation and cosmic evolution. It provides a deeper understanding of quasar formation and helps predict where to aim future telescopes for early cosmic events and galaxy structures.
A MU physicist argues that the Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) technique is not effective in measuring the gravitomagnetic field. The LLR method relies on processing data with two sets of mathematical equations, but it can introduce errors due to gauge freedom and insufficient analytic control.
Computer simulations show that supermassive black hole (SMBH) triple interactions occur frequently, even in the present-day universe. These violent encounters can lead to SMBH binaries being kicked out of galaxies and wandering through space.
Astronomers found a trio of supermassive black holes in the Virgo constellation, 10.5 billion light-years away, with same redshift and distinct properties, raising questions about galaxy interactions and fundamental relationships between galaxies and black holes.
Researchers found that quasars with large black holes are more variable than those with low black hole masses, changing brightness by up to 15% over a year. The study's findings provide new insights into the physics behind quasar variability and could help astronomers decipher underlying mechanisms.
For the first time, astronomers have looked inside quasars and seen evidence of black holes. They measured the size of the accretion disk around a smaller area emitting X-rays, providing further confirmation that quasars are made up of super-massive black holes and heated disks.
A recent survey of galaxies observed along the sightlines to quasars and gamma-ray bursts has revealed a striking inconsistency. Galaxies appear to be four times more common in the direction of gamma-ray bursts than in the direction of quasars, contradicting basic concepts of cosmology.
Researchers have found that the most energetic radiation from a quasar's jet comes from extremely energetic particles, not as previously thought. The particles are accelerated locally and produce their emission through synchrotron radiation.
Astronomers detect unusual quasar with no visible host galaxy, sparking debate about its origin. The object's properties suggest a rare collision between galaxies, potentially illuminating the formation of massive black holes and their role in shaping the universe.
Astronomers observed quasars with the VLT and HST to detect host galaxies, but found that one quasar, HE0450-2958, has no massive galaxy. Instead, they detected a bright cloud of gas ionized by the quasar's radiation, which may be feeding the black hole.
The Millennium Run simulation recreated evolutionary histories for 20 million galaxies and supermassive black holes, clarifying physical processes underlying galaxy buildup. The study also demonstrated that characteristic patterns imprinted on matter distribution at early epochs are still present in observed galaxy distributions.
Researchers found that growing black holes release energy that regulates galaxy evolution and black hole growth, matching observed relationships between black hole size and galaxy mass. The simulations also show that smaller galaxies have less gas to form stars, while larger galaxies produce more.
Simulations show that growing black holes release a blast of energy, powering strong winds that prevent material from falling in, inhibiting further growth. This process links black hole mass to the total mass of stars in galaxies, explaining observed phenomena and promising deeper insights into galaxy formation.
A team of researchers has discovered a web-like system of gas clouds containing the missing baryons, which are thought to make up half of the universe's mass. The clouds, detected using X-ray telescope data, have temperatures of around 1 million degrees Celsius and are spread over vast distances.
The discovery reveals a quasar with an extreme redshift of 2.11 found within the center of an active spiral galaxy called NGC 7319. This finding casts doubt on the idea that quasars are extremely distant objects and could impact our understanding of cosmology.
Researchers used the Gemini telescope to produce sharp infrared images of quasar host galaxies, finding only one convincing detection that was unremarkable in size and brightness. This challenges previous assumptions about the relationship between quasars and their host galaxies.
Astronomers using the Very Large Telescope have secured new data that provide the strongest constraints to date on the possible variation of the fine-structure constant. The study shows no evidence for a time-dependent change in this fundamental constant, contradicting previous claims.
A team of astronomers has discovered 13 distant quasars, providing valuable insights into the early universe. The most ancient quasars are thought to have formed right along with supermassive black holes, suggesting a rapid transition from the cosmic dark ages to the cosmic renaissance.
Astronomers have found evidence of rapid galaxy formation in the early universe, including ultra-massive black holes and mature galaxies that formed at an unprecedented rate. This discovery poses a significant challenge to the cold dark matter theory, which predicts galaxies formed through a bottom-up process.
Astronomers have detected a lensed quasar more than twice as wide as any previously reported, offering insights into dark matter and its distribution. The discovery provides evidence for the presence of massive galaxy clusters, which can be used to study dark matter.
A team of researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery linking black hole growth to galaxy evolution. The study found that more than 20,000 galaxies contain growing black holes, mostly in massive galaxies with recent star formation. As the rate of black hole growth increases, so does the amount of recent star formation.
A scientist at Berkeley Lab has re-examined the 2002 experiment claiming to measure the speed of gravity and found that it was based on a flawed assumption. The correct formula yields effects significantly smaller than initially thought, making measurement with current technology impractical.
Scientists discovered a tiny dwarf galaxy in intergalactic space that was previously overlooked. The galaxy is believed to have formed elements through supernova explosions, enriching the gas cloud. This finding suggests that tiny galaxies may have played a significant role in the chemical evolution of the universe.
Researchers have found evidence of high-speed winds blowing copious amounts of gas from the cores of quasar galaxies, powered by black holes. The winds may regulate black hole growth and create new stars, with a wind transporting substantial amounts of carbon, oxygen, and iron into the interstellar medium.
The quasar APM 08279+5255 has a three times larger iron fraction than our solar system, contrary to expectations. This suggests an unknown efficient way of producing iron or the universe may be older than expected.
Researchers use theoretical calculation to understand merger process, predicting brief brightness increase and high-speed gas outflow. The study sheds light on quasar activation following super-massive black hole mergers, a phenomenon not yet fully understood.
Astronomers estimate masses of distant black holes using a new method developed by Marianne Vestergaard, allowing for more accurate understanding of quasar behavior. The study challenges previous theories suggesting a threshold mass above which black holes cause quasars to become radio-loud.
Astronomers have observed a web-like structure in space using NASA's FUSE satellite, confirming theoretical models of how matter condensed into galaxies. The helium traces the universe's architecture back to very early times, shedding light on its re-energization by quasars and star birth.
Astronomers have detected the imprint of neutral atoms on light from a distant quasar, providing a glimpse into the early universe. The observation reveals that complex atoms such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and silicon were formed in the first stars and quasars, constraining the timing of the universe's reionization.
Yale astronomers have discovered that the area around the Milky Way contains remains of small galaxies torn apart by gravity, contradicting previous smooth distribution theories. The study found approximately 150 RR Lyrae variables with proper periods and light variations in a previously surveyed region.
A team of astronomers, including an undergraduate researcher, detect the presence of massive stellar explosions in a distant galaxy using quasar light. The discovery reveals six super bubbles formed at nearly the same time, releasing energy equivalent to 10,000 suns over their lifetimes.
A team of U.S. and European astronomers detect X-rays from the farthest known quasar, SDSSp J1044-0125, with a redshift of 5.8, revealing the universe's earliest objects. The quasar's low X-ray emission suggests it may be a 'precursor quasar' or have strong accretion processes.
Astronomers use a flickering quasar image to estimate the expansion rate of the Universe and measure distances to extragalactic objects. The Chandra X-ray Observatory's mirage technique provides a promising method to avoid uncertainties in classic distance-ladder techniques.
A newly discovered quasar has surpassed the previous record holder as the earliest known structure in the universe, with a red shift of 5.50 and light journeying 13 billion years to reach Earth. The quasar's discovery sheds light on cosmic evolution and matter distribution at earlier stages of history.
Researchers detect faint X-ray source close to Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The discovery provides fresh insight into how the black hole is powered and may challenge current models.
A team of astronomers led by University of Michigan professor Douglas Richstone discovered three new supermassive black holes in nearby elliptical galaxies. The formation and evolution of galaxies are linked to the presence of massive black holes, which played a crucial role in shaping galaxy development.
The Hobby-Eberly Telescope has successfully observed a distant quasar candidate, confirming its status and providing insight into the universe's early evolution. The instrument will also enable detailed study of objects in and near the Milky Way with the addition of two new facility-class spectrographs.
Physicist Glennys Farrar proposes that extremely high-energy cosmic rays come from distant quasars, violating the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff. She suggests a new subatomic particle, the SO, with neutral and gluon-bound properties, as an alternative explanation.
Researchers have discovered a powerful energy source inside the nucleus of a Seyfert galaxy, challenging previous theories and providing new insights into the formation of galaxies. The findings suggest that both types of Seyfert galaxies may harbor quasars, with the power source located behind an obscuring 'fat torus' or doughnut girdle.
Astronomer Martin Gaskell suggests that many galaxies harbor pairs of giant black holes revolving around each other. His research on quasars indicates a clear trend in gas velocity changes over time, pointing to the presence of binary black holes with masses similar to 4 billion solar units.