Are Quasars Still Present in Our Universe?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the existence of quasars in the current universe, exploring whether any quasars are still present or if they have all ceased to exist. The scope includes theoretical considerations about the nature and lifecycle of quasars.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that quasars are seen as they were in the past due to the vast distances involved, with the nearest quasars being approximately 780 million light years away, leading to uncertainty about their current existence.
  • Another viewpoint posits that quasars are powered by gas and dust falling into massive black holes, and once these materials are depleted, the quasars cease to exist and transform into normal galaxies.
  • It is noted that quasar populations increase with redshift, and currently, none are known to exist in the local universe, implying a lack of nearby quasars.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the existence of quasars today, with some suggesting they likely do not exist anymore while others emphasize the uncertainty due to the observational nature of astronomy. No consensus is reached.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in understanding due to the dependence on observational data and the time it takes for light to travel from distant objects, which affects interpretations of current existence.

Richard87
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Do any quasars presently exist in our universe? Or are all the quasars gone?
 
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All astronomical objects are seen as they were some time in the past. The nearest quasars are about 780 million light years away. It probably still exists now, but you can't be sure. Wikipedia has a good article on the subject.
 
Richard87 said:
Do any quasars presently exist in our universe? Or are all the quasars gone?

Probably not. The current model for quasars is that they are powered by large amounts of gas and dust falling into a massive black hole. Once the black hole has cleaned out off all of the gas and dust, then you have no more quasars, and the former-quasar turns into a run of the mill normal looking galaxy.
 
Probably not. Quasar populations ramp up with redshift and none are known to exist locally. Hugely energetic source require hugely abundant fuel supplies. Ack, I just noticed twofish said the same thing.
 

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