I What are quasars made of?

"...a compact region in the center of a massive galaxy surrounding a central supermassive black hole.[4] Its size is 10–10,000 times the Schwarzschild radius of the enclosed black hole. The energy emitted by a quasar derives from mass falling onto the accretion disc around the black hole."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasar

 

Perhaps I can add.
Quasar, quasy stellar. It's from Latin. Thnigs like stars but not stars.
At first the astronomers thought they were stars, but further observations showed that they were not stars.

 

Mostly hydrogen with some helium thrown in. Quasars existed in a time where heavier elements hadn't yet been produced in large numbers.

 

I doubt very much that this is true.

 

Interesting - Sandage's recollections/memoirs do not mention this at all. It's always "point like" or "quasi stellar", even before 1963 when the redshift was determined.

 

Actually I read that phrase from this
https://www.amazon.com/universe-Life-nature-library/dp/B0006AY1WC
In mid 1980, when I was in junior high.

I didn't know that the book was printed in 1962. I just know today. I don't know how much knowledge in astronomy has changed since 1980s, much less in 2016.

But there's a very interesting phrase from this

The book was printed in 1962.
The discovery of quasar is in 1963.
Either
- It's a second edition that I read
- The discovery of quasar not in 1963.
- My memory tricks me into thinking that I read that phrase from David Bergamini's book.

 

Redshift is largely the only yardstick we have for the distant universe. While it has served us well and made many confirmed predictions that does not 'prove' it is invincible. But, without it we are lost in illusions of reality. We must either place faith in observational evidence or our ancient religious beliefs. I believe the former offers us a better future.