Astronomers have identified Blazar OP 313, the most distant and early blazar known, characterized by an erupting supermassive black hole that directs its plasma jets towards Earth. Blazars emerge from supermassive black holes surrounded by gas and dust in regions called active galactic nuclei (AGNs). These black holes can shine brighter than all the stars in their host galaxies, with non-consumed matter being expelled as high-speed jets.
Light from Blazar OP 313 has traveled 8 billion light-years, showcasing it as it was just 5 billion years after the Big Bang, during a significant cosmic era termed “cosmic noon.” This period was marked by a peak in star and galaxy formation. When the intense activity of cosmic noon waned, the universe shifted into a calmer developmental phase.
Cosmic noon was also when OP 313 released high-energy gamma rays, first detected in December 2023 using telescopes in Spain. These gamma rays, originating from 8 billion light-years away, demonstrate the black hole’s role as a cosmic particle accelerator, interacting with the universe’s background radiation to form electron-positron pairs. The intense emission was driven by relativistic electrons traveling near light speed.
This discovery enhances our understanding of quasars, representing some of the most powerful cosmic events known. The research findings were published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
