Introducing Quasar S5 0014+81
S5 0014+81 is a distant, luminous quasar. Discovered in 1982 via radio survey, it's one of the brightest objects in the observable universe, located over 12 billion light-years away from Earth.
A Colossal Black Hole
The quasar's central black hole is estimated to be 40 billion solar masses, making it one of the most massive known. It's about 10,000 times the mass of the black hole at the Milky Way's center.
Incredible Luminosity
S5 0014+81 has an extraordinary luminosity, emitting more energy than 10 trillion suns. This energy output is likely due to the accretion of matter into its enormous black hole.
A Source of Powerful Jets
Like many quasars, S5 0014+81 ejects vast jets of material at relativistic speeds. These jets emit strong radio waves, which is how the quasar was originally detected.
Challenging Distance Measurements
Determining the quasar's distance involves redshift measurements. S5 0014+81 has a redshift of 3.366, indicating rapid recession due to the expansion of the universe.
Studying Early Universe
Because its light has taken billions of years to reach us, observing S5 0014+81 offers a glimpse into the conditions of the early universe, approximately 1.6 billion years after the Big Bang.
Implications for Galaxy Formation
The existence of such a massive black hole so early in the universe's history challenges our understanding of black hole growth and galaxy formation, hinting at new physics yet to be discovered.
When was Quasar S5 0014+81 discovered?
In 1982 via radio survey
Using optical telescopes in 1985
By Hubble Space Telescope, 1990
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