Most distant quasar ever found is hiding 'biggest' and 'youngest' black hole
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The most distant quasar, called J0313-1806, dates back to 670 million years after the Big Bang and has a mass of 1.6 billion of our suns
Scientists have discovered that the most distant quasar ever found is hiding a supermassive black hole, as per the latest study submitted to the American Astronomical Society.
The discovery made by researchers at the University of Arizona may help in solving the mystery of the formation of enormous black holes.
Anti-galactic nuclei quasars are among the brightest objects in the universe powered by supermassive black holes that are actively feeding on materials nearby.
The infant Universe following the Big Bang is relatively well known through extensive theoretical models and observation of cosmic microwave background -- the electromagnetic radiation of the nascent cosmos.
The most distant quasar, called J0313-1806, dates back to 670 million years after the Big Bang and has a mass of 1.6 billion of our suns.
Co-author Xiaohui Fan said, "This tells you that no matter what you do, the seed of this black hole must have formed by a different mechanism. In this case, one that involves vast quantities of primordial, cold hydrogen gas directly collapsing into a seed black hole."
It has two asymmetric ''dips'' that correspond to the absorption at two different wavelengths.
Presenting both a crisis and a unique opportunity for astronomers, it's a mystery how a black hole can exist this early on. It is at least 20 million years old and it's twice as massive the most distant quasar.
The newly discovered quasar provides a new benchmark by ruling out two current models of how supermassive black holes form in such short timescales.
Scientists have discovered evidence that there is a wind of superheated gas flowing from around the galaxy's supermassive black hole, with this gas travelling at one-fifth the speed of light.
Lead author Feige Wang said, "This is the earliest evidence of how a supermassive black hole is affecting its host galaxy around it."
"From observations of less distant galaxies, we know that this has to happen, but we have never seen it happening so early in the universe," he added.