Astronomers have made a significant discovery involving quasar J1601+3102, which is emitting powerful jets of charged particles from a time when the universe was just about 1.2 billion years old. Using the International Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), they’ve identified twin lobes extending about 66,000 light-years from the quasar, revealing insights into how early galaxies formed and evolved.
These jets, produced by a black hole weighing about 450 million solar masses, showcase that massive jets from black holes do not necessarily require extremely large black holes or high accretion rates. Additionally, the team’s multi-wavelength approach, including infrared and optical observations, allowed them to gather detailed information about the black hole and its surrounding environment.
This discovery adds to our understanding of how black holes shape their host galaxies by influencing star formation and gas dynamics. The findings promise to lead to the identification of more similar celestial jets in the early universe with future advancements in radio and infrared telescopes.
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