Were all galaxies quasars when they were young?

In summary, quasars are galaxies that are billions of light years away and are much younger than our own galaxy and nearby galaxies. The immense energy they emit is generated by matter falling into the central black hole that all galaxies have. It is possible that all galaxies, including our own, were quasars when they were younger, but galaxy evolution is still not fully understood. Some galaxies, like M33, do not have a supermassive black hole at their centers.
  • #1
Robin
16
1
My understanding is that quasars are galaxies that are billions of light years away. Thus we see them as they were billions of years ago when they were much younger than our own galaxy & other galaxies nearby to us.
The immense energy they emit is generated by matter falling into the central black hole that all galaxies have. So they have active centres.
I assume as galaxies age then the black hole at the centre runs out of matter nearby to gobble up, with only the occasional passing objects such as stars randonly perturbed in that direction. I believe that our galaxy have reached this stage.
Is it likely that all galaxies including our own were quasars when they were younger ?
 
Last edited:
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #3
Robin said:
The immense energy they emit is generated by matter falling into the central black hole that all galaxies have.

Not all galaxies have a supermassive black hole at their centers. M33, the second-closest spiral, does not.
 

1. What is a quasar?

A quasar is a type of extremely luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN) that emits large amounts of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum. They are thought to be powered by supermassive black holes at the centers of young galaxies.

2. How were all galaxies quasars when they were young?

It is believed that when galaxies were young, their central supermassive black holes were actively accreting matter and emitting intense radiation, making them appear as quasars. As the galaxies evolved and the black holes consumed less matter, they became less luminous and appeared as typical galaxies.

3. Are there still quasars in the universe today?

Yes, there are still quasars in the universe today. However, they are much less common compared to when galaxies were young. This is because most supermassive black holes have already consumed a significant amount of matter and are no longer actively emitting large amounts of radiation.

4. How do scientists study the early stages of galaxies and their evolution into quasars?

Scientists use a variety of tools, such as telescopes and computer simulations, to study the early stages of galaxies and their evolution into quasars. They also look for clues in the cosmic microwave background radiation, which is the residual energy from the Big Bang, and in the distribution of elements in the universe.

5. Could our own Milky Way galaxy have been a quasar in the past?

It is possible that our Milky Way galaxy may have been a quasar in the past, but there is no direct evidence to support this. However, scientists have observed active galactic nuclei in other galaxies that are similar in size and mass to our Milky Way, indicating that it is a possibility.

Similar threads

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
1
Views
809
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
4
Views
1K
Replies
24
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
1
Views
1K
Back
Top