A recent discovery by astronomers has shed light on a massive black hole that seems to be bucking the trend. Despite its staggering size - four billion times the mass of our Sun - scientists are labeling it as an "underachiever." Let's delve into why.
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Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, researchers examined the closest quasar to Earth, located within a cluster of galaxies. Quasars are special types of black holes that devour matter at an extraordinary rate, emitting intense radiation and powerful jets as a result. This particular quasar, known as H1821+643, sits approximately 3.4 billion light-years away from Earth and boasts a weight equivalent to four billion Suns.
Typically, black holes in quasars devour matter much faster than conventional black holes. In contrast, regular black holes play a crucial role in regulating their surroundings, preventing excessive gas from cooling down and forming stars. However, the quasar under scrutiny appears to be an exception.
Lead researcher Helen Russell from the University of Nottingham in the UK explains, "We have found that the quasar in our study appears to have relinquished much of the control imposed by more slowly growing black holes. The black hole’s appetite is not matched by its influence."
Through observations with Chandra, scientists observed that the gas density near the black hole in the galaxy's center is higher, and the gas temperatures are lower compared to distant regions. This unusual behavior indicates minimal energy input.
Co-author Lucy Clews from the Open University in the UK elaborates, "The giant black hole is generating a lot less heat than most of the others in the centers of galaxy clusters. This allows the hot gas to rapidly cool down and form new stars, and also act as a fuel source for the black hole."
In essence, this "underachieving" black hole's subdued activity permits the rapid formation of stars and serves as an intriguing anomaly amidst the cosmic landscape.
