Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have investigated a quasar’s interaction with satellite galaxies, uncovering critical insights into early universe galaxy growth, black hole mass, and chemical evolution. Credit: SciTechDaily.comThis research has revealed significant details about galaxy formation, the mass and growth of supermassive black holes, and the chemical properties of these celestial bodies, marking a major step in understanding cosmic history.
Map of the line emission of hydrogen and oxygen in the PJ308-21 system, shown after masking the light from the central quasar . The different colors of the quasar’s host galaxy and companion galaxies in this map reveal the physical properties of the gas within them. Credit: Decarli/INAF/A&A 2024at the center of the system . It also confirmed that both the quasar and the surrounding galaxies are highly evolved in mass and metal enrichment, and in constant growth.
Map of ionized oxygen emission in the PJ308-21 system, observed with the James Webb Space Telescope. Each frame shows a different speed range. In the animation, we see the complex three-dimensional structure of the system and the “cosmic dance” of the satellite galaxies around the quasar.