Illustration of the galaxy and quasar as seen in simulated Webb photos. Webb's Near-Infrared Camera will be used by researchers to capture photos of each target (NIRCam). The galaxy and its stars will then be seen when the quasar's light has been turned off. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI)
March 08, 2023
The universe is filled with a plethora of fascinating objects, one of which is the quasar. Quasars are among the most distant and powerful objects in the universe, emitting immense amounts of energy and light. This week, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been observing several quasars, including J1537-3010, PSJ1606-2333, RM275, RM312, P2021, RM332, RM387, RM401, RM470, RM549, RM734, RM052, and PDS456-NIRSPEC. In this article, we will explore what quasars are and provide a detailed description of each of the observed quasars.
What is a Quasar?
A quasar is a compact and extremely luminous object found at the center of galaxies. They are powered by accretion disks around supermassive black holes, where the black hole's gravity pulls in and heats up gas and dust, emitting immense amounts of energy and light. Quasars were first discovered in the 1960s and were initially thought to be stars. However, their unusual spectra and immense brightness quickly revealed that they were a completely new class of objects.
Quasar Observations:
J1537-3010: This quasar is located approximately 10.4 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 2016. It has a redshift of 7.54, making it one of the most distant quasars ever observed. J1537-3010 emits intense ultraviolet light, making it an excellent target for studying the early universe.
PSJ1606-2333: This quasar is located approximately 12.7 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 2018. It has a redshift of 6.99, making it another extremely distant quasar. PSJ1606-2333 is one of the brightest quasars ever observed, emitting immense amounts of energy across a wide range of wavelengths.
RM275: This quasar is located approximately 1.8 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1990. It has a redshift of 0.142, making it much closer to us than the previous two quasars. RM275 is a radio-loud quasar, meaning it emits significant amounts of radio waves. It is also known for its unusual optical and X-ray properties.
RM312: This quasar is located approximately 2.2 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1992. It has a redshift of 0.148, making it similar in distance to RM275. RM312 is a radio-loud quasar and is also known for its unusual spectral features.
P2021: This quasar is located approximately 3.4 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 2014. It has a redshift of 0.238, making it slightly further away than RM275 and RM312. P2021 is a highly variable quasar, meaning its brightness can change significantly over short periods of time.
RM332: This quasar is located approximately 2.5 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1992. It has a redshift of 0.153, making it similar in distance to RM275 and RM312. RM332 is a radio-loud quasar and is known for its strong X-ray emissions.
RM387: This quasar is located approximately 1.4 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1994. It has a redshift of 0.153, making it relatively close to us compared to the other observed quasars. RM387 is a radio-loud quasar, emitting significant amounts of radio waves. It is also known for its strong X-ray emissions.
RM401: This quasar is located approximately 1.5 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1995. It has a redshift of 0.163, making it similar in distance to RM387. RM401 is a radio-quiet quasar, meaning it emits little to no radio waves. It is also known for its unusual spectral features.
RM470: This quasar is located approximately 3.3 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1999. It has a redshift of 0.280, making it further away than RM387 and RM401. RM470 is a radio-loud quasar and is known for its strong X-ray emissions.
RM549: This quasar is located approximately 2.2 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1999. It has a redshift of 0.146, making it similar in distance to RM387 and RM401. RM549 is a radio-loud quasar and is also known for its strong X-ray emissions.
RM734: This quasar is located approximately 5.2 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 2005. It has a redshift of 0.430, making it further away than the previous quasars. RM734 is a radio-quiet quasar and is known for its unusual optical properties.
RM052: This quasar is located approximately 1.6 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1996. It has a redshift of 0.148, making it similar in distance to RM387 and RM401. RM052 is a radio-loud quasar and is also known for its strong X-ray emissions.
PDS456: This quasar is located approximately 2.4 billion light-years away and was first discovered in 1991. It has a redshift of 0.184, making it similar in distance to RM387 and RM401. PDS456-NIRSPEC is a highly variable quasar, meaning its brightness can change significantly over short periods of time. It is also known for its intense X-ray emissions.