Scientists Discover ‘L-Shaped Structures’ and ‘Weird Things’ Near Black Hole in Hubble Telescope Images

Summary
Hubble Space Telescope images of the quasar 3C 273, located 2.5 billion light-years away, reveal strange “L-shaped” structures and energy jets. Scientists believe these features may be remnants of galaxies consumed by the supermassive black hole powering the quasar. By blocking the quasar’s intense light with advanced instruments, researchers observed a 300,000-light-year-long jet of material and noted its acceleration over time. The findings shed light on quasar environments but also raise new questions about these mysterious objects.

Newly released Hubble Space Telescope images of a quasar powered by a supermassive black hole have revealed bizarre structures and colossal jets of energy, offering fresh insights while raising new questions.

Nearly 35 years after its launch, the Hubble Space Telescope continues to unveil cosmic mysteries. In its latest observations, scientists focused on a quasar located 2.5 billion light-years away, uncovering enigmatic features that deepen our understanding of these powerful objects. However, the images also revealed unusual elements around the quasar that remain unexplained, according to a NASA statement.

“We’ve observed multiple blobs of different sizes along with an unusual L-shaped filamentary structure,” said Bin Ren, an astronomer from the Côte d’Azur Observatory and University in France.

Quasars and Their Mysteries

Quasar, short for “quasi-stellar radio source,” describes incredibly bright, star-like objects powered by actively feeding supermassive black holes. Though discovered in the 1950s, many aspects of quasars remain puzzling, particularly the environments surrounding them. The intense brightness of these objects makes it challenging to study their surroundings. However, Hubble’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) can block excess light, similar to how the moon covers the sun during a solar eclipse, enabling scientists to analyze previously hidden features.

Using STIS, researchers studied a known quasar named 3C 273, the first quasar ever officially identified in 1963. It is exceptionally luminous, emitting thousands of times more light than an average galaxy. Scientists suggest that 3C 273’s brightness is fueled by a massive black hole consuming debris from smaller galaxies in its vicinity.

Observations and Insights

The Hubble images revealed a 300,000-light-year-long jet of material extending from 3C 273. Comparing this new data with images captured 22 years earlier, researchers noted that the jet moves faster as it extends farther from the black hole. This suggests that the black hole plays a significant role in driving the quasar’s brightness by consuming the remnants of nearby smaller galaxies.

The study also detected “blobs” and L-shaped structures, which could represent remnants of these devoured galaxies. However, further research is needed to confirm their origins.

Hubble’s ability to probe these distant objects continues to provide unprecedented insights into the workings of the universe, even as it approaches four decades in space.