Discovering the most ancient quasars in the universe
Researchers using the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope have identified 31 of the most ancient quasars in the universe. These findings provide new insights into the reionization era and the formation of the earliest supermassive black holes.
Why it matters
Understanding these early cosmic structures helps scientists map the evolution of the universe from its earliest stages.
University of Michigan researchers were part of an international team that used the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope to discover 31 of the most ancient quasars ever observed.
This artist’s impression shows a quasar: a brief period of life for a big, bright galaxy during which large quantities of material spiral into its central supermassive black hole, releasing energetic light as it does so. Researchers using the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope have discovered 31 of the universe’s most ancient quasars. Image credit: ESA
They are so old, in fact, that they date back to the universe’s so-called reionization era, when stars, galaxies and supermassive black holes were first forming.
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