Discovery of an Ancient Quasar
An international team of astronomers has used the European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope to locate a quasar more than 13 billion light‑years distant, making it the earliest and most luminous example known to date.
Observational Technique
Although Euclid was designed primarily to study dark energy, its deep sky survey revealed an exceptionally bright, highly red‑shifted source with the spectral signatures of an active galactic nucleus.
Physical Characteristics
The object is powered by a super‑massive black hole accreting matter at near‑light speeds, producing radiation equivalent to the output of roughly one trillion suns. Such luminosity implies that massive black holes formed within a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.
Cosmological Implications
This finding challenges models that predict a gradual growth of early black holes, suggesting that rapid formation mechanisms must be considered.
Future Observations
Researchers intend to follow up with the James Webb Space Telescope and other facilities to study the quasar’s host environment and any associated galaxies in greater detail.