Quasar, which brightened in a short time and quickly dimmed in the early period of the universe, was discovered

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Lerato Khumalo

According to Science Daily, a team of astronomers led by Yale University examined quasar data from the US Aeronautics and Space Agency’s (NASA) NuSTAR X-ray Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Researchers noted that “J1429+5447” is a quasar that formed in the early stages of the universe and shows the fastest change in terms of brightening and fading among those detected so far.

Speaking at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society, researchers stated that studies on “J1429+5447” could help explain how some celestial bodies grew rapidly in the early universe.

THE JET FROM “J1429+5447” LOOKS AT THE EARTH

Researchers compared observations of “J1429+5447” using NuSTAR and Chandra X-ray Observatory data from 4 months ago.

Due to the “relativity” caused by the gravitational effect of the quasar, 4 months on Earth corresponds to 2 weeks in the quasar.

As a result of the study, it was determined that the X-ray emission of the quasar doubled in a very short period of “2 weeks”.

The study’s lead author, postdoctoral astrophysics researcher at Yale University, Dr. “In this study, we discovered that the quasar is a likely supermassive black hole with a jet directed towards the Earth, and we find that it dates back to the first billion years of the universe,” Lea Marcotulli said. he said.

Yale University faculty member Meg Urry, one of the authors of the study, also stated that this level of X-ray variability in terms of intensity and speed is extreme.

“This can be explained by the jet, which almost certainly consists of a cone heading towards us, where particles are carried up to a million light-years away from the supermassive black hole at the centre. Since the jet is traveling at nearly the speed of light, variability is accelerating under the influence of Albert Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity,” Urry said. And it’s growing.” shared his opinion.

QUASARS SHED LIGHT ON THE ‘REIONIATION PERIOD’

It is known that quasars, the oldest and brightest celestial bodies in the universe, consist of “active galaxy nuclei” in the gravitational zone of black holes at the centers of galaxies.

Quasars can be detected by their emissions in visible light, radio, infrared, ultraviolet, and X and gamma ray wavelengths.

Scientists observe quasars to study the “Era of Reionization”, which began within a billion years after the “Big Bang”, when previously neutral hydrogen atoms became charged and the first stars began to illuminate the universe.

Black holes at the centers of these celestial bodies intensely spray matter into space from jets coming out of their poles.

The results of the research were published in “The Astrophysical Journal Letters”.