In some galaxies, quasars are trillions of times brighter than the sun.
Astronomers have solved the riddle of how quasars, the universe’s brightest and most potent objects, are ignited.
According to NASA, these extremely brilliant celestial objects are found in the centers of some galaxies and can be a trillion times brighter than the sun.
Quasars were found sixty years ago, but how they generated such high energy was unknown.
Now, research indicates that it is the result of galaxy collisions.
Scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Hertfordshire discovered “the presence of distorted structures” in quasar-containing galaxies.
The researchers analyzed data from the Isaac Newton Telescope on the Canary Island of La Palma.
The scientists examined 48 quasars and their host galaxies and over 100 non-quasar galaxies.
Most galaxies are believed to contain supermassive black holes that are millions of times denser than the sun.
These galaxies also contain vast quantities of gas that are inaccessible to black holes.
According to researchers, when galaxies collide, the gases are propelled towards the black hole. Where they are consumed and release “extraordinary amounts of energy in the form of radiation, resulting in the characteristic quasar brilliance.”
Galaxies hosting quasars are approximately three times more likely to interact or collide with other galaxies, according to their conclusion.
Professor Clive Tadhunter of the University of Sheffield stated, “Quasars are one of the most extreme phenomena in the universe, and what we see may represent the future of our Milky Way galaxy when it collides with the Andromeda galaxy in approximately five billion years.
“It’s thrilling to observe these events and finally comprehend why they occur, but thankfully. Earth will not experience one of these apocalyptic episodes for quite some time.”
Dr. Jonny Pierce of the University of Hertfordshire stated, “It is a topic that scientists from all over the globe are eager to learn more about.
One of the primary scientific goals of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was to study the universe’s primordial galaxies, and Webb is capable of detecting light from even the most distant quasars, which were emitted nearly 13 billion years ago.
Quasars play a crucial role in our understanding of the universe’s history and potentially the Milky Way’s future.
The research results were published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
