The Farthest Galaxy
Astronomers from the University of Hawaii have found a galaxy surrounding the most distant supermassive Black Hole yet found, 12.8 billion years in the past. The Black Hole, found by the Subaru telescope atop Mauna Kea, has a billion times the mass of our Sun. It and the host galaxy were formed in the first billion years of the Universe. Present-day science can not explain how the giant Black Hole formed. The forthcoming paper concludes:
"The authors wish to recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Mauna Kea
has always had within the indigenous Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations
from this sacred mountain."
Every galaxy examined contains at its centre a supermassive Black Hole. They are very likely primordial, formed in the immense densities following the Big Bang. Size of a primordial Black Hole is limited by a "horizon distance" related to the speed of light. If c were always the same value, PBH's would all be tiny. Discovery of massive primordial Black Holes is a clue that the speed of light has slowed.
Labels: black holes, galaxies, speed of light
posted by L. Riofrio at 8:15 AM
13 Comments:
Interesting that they cite 'the WMAP cosmology', betraying some residual preference amongst some astronomers for certain dark forces.
Your latest supportive post is appreciated. The interest of astronomers in "varying constants" shows that we are winning.
Beautiful false colour pixellation of the quasar, like a piece of modern art. The sky is 360*60*60 = 1.3 million seconds or arc in a circle all around us. Hence the 4" is 4 parts in 1.3 million = 3.086*10^{-6} of the circumference of the sky.
At a radius of 12.8 billion light years, the sky has a circumference of 2*Pi*12.8 = 80.4 billion light years. Hence, the 4" arc distance on the photo corresponds to a distance of 80.4*3.086*10^{-6} = 2.48*10^{-4} billion light years = 248,000 light years. The brightly glowing (yellow coloured) part has a diameter of about 40% of the width of the 4" scale, so it is 0.4*248,000 = 99,200 light years in diameter, similar to the size of our galaxy, the Milky Way.
That galaxy at 12.8 billion light years distance and is being seen as it was just 900 million years after the big bang, which occurred 13.7 billion years ago.
Obviously the light comes from material heating up as it falls into an immense black hole. I just wonder if gravitational redshift is properly taken account of when assigning a distance from the redshift observed? If they ignore gravitational redshift, they will overestimate the distance (and underestimate the time after the big bang when it is being seen), because 100% of the redshift observed will be attributed to recession, when in fact some is due to gravity.
In order to properly access the amount of gravitational redshift, they need to know how far the hot accretion disc of glowing matter falling in, is from the centre of the black hole. I don't see this factor addressed in their paper?
I agree that variable parameters need careful investigation.
sorry, the last para but one in my comment should commence:
"In order to properly aSSess the amount of gravitational redshift..."
Nice picture, nige.
it's amazing...like time travel
Hello, i need more information about this topic, please send me the info by email.
I dont think that our methods of measurement are correct, how can they be sure that it is the farthest galaxy when the universe is infinite, it is never going to be an end.
This is incredible but I don't understand how the black hole hosted inside of it a Galaxy, this is so exciting, I'd like to get ore information about it please.
So that's the farthest galaxy so far, I wonder if you have more pictures of it.
I was watching a documentary on natgeo about black holes, they said the black holes are in everywhere
Galaxies at that distance and any that are even further away, must be extremely massive due to their velocity being a sizable fraction of the speed of light. Those even further away, so far that their light hasn't had time to reach us, must be really massive indeed. Could their massive gravity be the source of the so-called "dark energy", that's increasing the acceleration of the expansion of the Universe?
Good article and knowledge for me! I found a lot of information here! This article is really good for all newbie here. Thank you for sharing with us! Good luck!
How to transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone
Post a Comment
<< Home