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Researchers using the Gemini North telescope have discovered double radio jets that formed when the universe was only 1,2 billion years old and extend over a distance twice the size of the Milky Way galaxy.
These jets are powered by a quasar, whose black hole has a relatively small mass of 450 million suns, which is much smaller than other supermassive black holes. As Annick Gloudemans, the leader of the research team, notes,
This observation challenges previous theories about the relationship between the size of a black hole and the power of the emitted jets.
Previously, similar radio streams could be perceived as noise from the cosmic microwave background left behind by the Big Bang, but in this new case, the radiation retains its intensity even at considerable distances. This discovery emphasizes the uniqueness of the studied object:
Scientists emphasize that combining the capabilities of different telescopes operating in different spectral ranges allows us to significantly expand our understanding of the early stages of the development of the Universe. The discovery of double radio streams not only helps to understand the mechanisms of quasar formation, but also provides new insights into the role of such phenomena in the evolution of galaxies.
