Summary
Scientists found that a supermassive black hole in a distant quasar is smaller than previously believed. Their study shows the black hole has a mass of about one billion suns, one-tenth of earlier estimates. Intense radiation from the black hole prevents it from growing as fast as previously thought.
Key Facts
- Scientists studied a supermassive black hole in a distant quasar, a very bright galaxy core.
- The black hole's mass was found to be around one billion suns.
- The team from the University of Southampton used advanced equipment at the European Southern Observatory in Chile.
- The study suggests radiation prevents the black hole from gaining more mass quickly.
- The discovery challenges previous ideas about the growth of supermassive black holes.
- The research involved experts from several countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Portugal, and Belgium.
- Results were published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
- The phenomenon observed was likened to a "cosmic hairdryer" blasting away gas with intense light.
