Astronomers reveal what ignites quasars

PARIS: Astronomers said on Wednesday that for the first time they have confirmed what ignites quasars, the brightest and most powerful objects in the universe, which put galaxies in their “death throes”.

These celestial behemoths form when two galaxies smash into each other, the astronomers said, warning that this could be the Milky Way´s fate in a few billion years. Quasars are one of the most extreme objects in the universe, some shining with the brightness of a trillion stars despite being packed into the space of our Solar System.

They sit in the heart of galaxies, powered by supermassive black holes, requiring a huge amount of gas to be so staggeringly bright. In a new study, an international team of researchers said they have “clear evidence” that quasars are triggered by two galaxies colliding, which releases the vast amounts of energy needed.