Clarifying the origin of Quasar

2010/03/30 Kortabitarte Egiguren, Irati - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronomia

Quasars are bright zones of great mass and energy of the universe. Its origin was not so far very clear. Recently, astronomers at the University of Hawaii have concluded that quasars occur when the two galaxies collide and join their black holes.

To reach this conclusion, astronomers have analyzed images and data from the Hubble, Chandra and Spitzer telescopes and found remains of gas and dust blackened quasars. In fact, many quasars are often hidden in clouds of gas and dust, which greatly hinders their research.

Thanks to these telescopes they have studied more than 200 distant galaxies using X-rays and infrared light. They have seen that quasars are due to the collision of the two large galaxies and the union of their black holes.

Also, researchers consider that quasars at first are surrounded by gas and dust, so we can't see them in the eye. Over time, however, these materials surrounding the quasars fall into the black hole, leaving the quasars visible.

Image courtesy of: Recent searches