Quasars: The Cosmic Serial Killers
By Sameer Tanwar
Cosmofluencer (Season 04)
In the vast expanse of the universe, there exist monsters so powerful that they can devour entire galaxies. These monsters are called Quasars.
What are Quasars?
Quasars are incredibly bright objects that are powered by supermassive black holes. The black hole’s intense gravitational pull sucks in gas and dust from the surrounding galaxy, which is then heated to extreme temperatures and emits powerful radiation.
The radiance of quasars is so powerful that they can outshine entire galaxies by a factor of 1000. They are also very far away, so we see them as they were billions of years ago, when the universe was much younger. This means that we are seeing quasars in their infancy, when they were still growing and feeding on the gas and dust in their surrounding galaxies.
Quasars are not only luminous, but also very energetic. They can release as much energy in a single day as the Sun does in a year. This energy is in the form of radiation, which can be harmful to life.
The Destructive Life of Quasars
Quasars can Kill Star Formation
The intense radiation and powerful winds emitted by quasars can heat up or blow away the gas in their galaxies, making it impossible for new stars to form. In some cases, this violent process completely disrupts the life cycle of the galaxy, effectively “killing” it by preventing future generations of stars. This quenching effect can halt the growth of galaxies, leaving behind a population of aging stars and a barren interstellar medium
Jets of Annihilation
Quasars not only consume matter voraciously but also eject tremendous jets of high-energy particles. These jets, which can extend millions of light-years, are capable of tearing through the galaxy and beyond. They can heat up the intergalactic medium and disrupt the formation of new galaxies, spreading the quasar’s deadly influence far and wide.
How Can Quasars Help Us?
We can use quasars to study the early universe. Quasars are so far away that the light emitted by them takes billions of years to reach us. This makes Quasars act almost as a time machine allowing us to look at the past of the universe.
Conclusion
In conclusion, quasars are the largest serial killers in the universe. They are incredibly bright, energetic, and dangerous. However, we can learn to live with them by understanding how they work and taking steps to protect ourselves from their destructive power.
Sources and Further Reading
Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell | Sources – Quasars