QUASARS

Source: CNN

Context:

According to a new study Quasars the brightest and the most powerful objects in the universe – have a violent origin story.

About Quasars:

• Quasars are intriguing astronomical objects that have fascinated scientists since their discovery over 60 years ago.
• They are located in the centers of galaxies and emit huge amounts of energy, including radio waves, visible light, and X-rays.

Here are some key facts about quasars:

Discovery:

Quasars were first discovered in the late 1950s by astronomers who were studying radio waves emitted from distant galaxies.

At the time, they were thought to be stars within our own galaxy, but further research revealed that they were actually located in faraway galaxies.

Properties:

Quasars are among the most luminous objects in the universe.

They emit huge amounts of energy, with some quasars being thousands of times brighter than our entire Milky Way galaxy.

They are powered by supermassive black holes located in the centers of galaxies.

Formation:

• Quasars are formed when gas falls into the supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy.
• As the gas spirals into the black hole, it releases energy in the form of intense radiation and powerful jets of particles.
• These emissions can be detected across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Size:

Most quasars are larger than our entire solar system, with a typical quasar being about 1 kiloparsec in width.

This makes them some of the largest objects in the universe.

Importance:

• Quasars provide valuable insights into the early universe and the formation of galaxies.
• By studying quasars, scientists can learn about the conditions and processes that were present in the universe billions of years ago.
• Quasars can also be used as “lighthouses” to map the distribution of matter in the universe and study the effects of cosmic expansion.

What is a Blackhole?

1. A black hole is a region of spacetime where the gravitational force is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.
2. It is formed when a massive star runs out of fuel and collapses under the force of its own gravity, becoming extremely dense and compact.
3. The point of no return around a black hole is called the event horizon, beyond which anything that enters is trapped and cannot escape.
4. Black holes are invisible, but their presence can be inferred by their gravitational effects on nearby matter.
5. They are important objects of study in astrophysics and have contributed greatly to our understanding of the universe.