On January 14, astronomers from Yale University announced the detection of a highly variable quasar, designated J1429+5447, during the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society. This quasar, observed by the NuSTAR X-ray space telescope, is the most distant object identified by the instrument since its launch in 2012.
Lead author Lea Marcotulli, a postdoctoral fellow in astrophysics at Yale, stated that the quasar is likely a supermassive black hole with a jet directed towards Earth, observed within the first billion years post-Big Bang. Quasars, among the universe's oldest and brightest objects, are formed from active galactic nuclei where black holes consume surrounding matter, emitting radiation across various wavelengths.
The study aims to enhance understanding of the reionization epoch, a critical period when neutral hydrogen atoms became charged, allowing the first stars to illuminate the universe. Co-author Thomas Connor noted that the timeline and sources of reionization remain topics of debate, with actively accreting supermassive black holes being a potential contributor.
Researchers compared NuSTAR's observations of J1429+5447 with data from the Chandra X-ray telescope, revealing that the quasar's X-ray emissions doubled in four months—equivalent to two weeks for the quasar due to relativistic effects. Co-author Meg Urry described the extreme variability in X-ray intensity and rapidity as likely caused by a jet moving close to the speed of light, amplifying the observed changes.
This discovery provides essential insights into the study of reionization and may lead astronomers to identify additional supermassive black holes from the early universe. Marcotulli emphasized that uncovering more supermassive black holes with jets raises questions about their rapid growth and the mechanisms triggering jet formation.