Euclid telescope discovers oldest quasars, deepening cosmic mystery of early universe
The European Space Agency's Euclid telescope has discovered 31 quasars, including the two oldest ever observed, dating back to when the universe was roughly 670 million years old (five percent of its current age). Quasars, intensely luminous cores of distant galaxies powered by supermassive black holes, provide insights into the early evolution of galaxies. This discovery, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, doubles the number of known ancient quasars. However, it also deepens the cosmic mystery, as these "monsters" existed far earlier and were much larger than previously thought possible, challenging current understandings of how they grew so massive so quickly in the early universe.
Key Points
- The Euclid space telescope has discovered 31 quasars, including the two oldest ever observed.
- These quasars date back to when the universe was approximately 670 million years old, or five percent of its current age.
- Quasars are intensely luminous cores of distant galaxies powered by supermassive black holes, providing insights into early galaxy evolution.
- The discovery doubles the number of known ancient quasars, but also deepens the mystery of how such massive objects formed so early in the universe.
- Scientists will continue to use telescopes like Euclid and James Webb to search for even older quasars and build a "quasar chronicle."
Exam Facts
- Telescope: European Space Agency's Euclid telescope.
- Number of quasars discovered: 31.
- Age of oldest quasars: roughly 670 million years old (5% of universe's current age).
- Universe's current age: 13.8 billion years.
- Study published in: Astronomy & Astrophysics.
- Lead author: Daming Yang (Leiden University).
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