How the first quasars defy the laws of physics
AI-generated representation of an accreting supermassive black hole, surrounded by gas spiralling toward it along the equatorial plane (the accretion disk) and emitting powerful winds of matter as it falls in. This representation is based...
Astronomers detect ancient lonely quasars with murky origins
This image, taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, shows an ancient quasar (circled in red) with fewer than expected neighbouring galaxies (bright blobs), challenging physicists’ understanding of how the first quasars and supermassive black holes formed. Credit:...
Near-Earth microquasar a source of powerful radiation
Sources of high-energy cosmic rays in the vicinity of the microquasar V4641 Sgr, on the left with energies above a teraelectronvolt, on the right – hundreds of teraelectronvolts. The location of the microquasar is marked with a yellow dot. Credit: IFJ PAN/ HAWC. CC...