Approximately 11.4 billion years ago, when the universe was a mere 2.4 billion years old, two massive galaxies engaged in a cosmic encounter. Astronomers, utilising the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), have observed this rare event, providing insights into galaxy evolution during the universe’s formative years.
In this celestial duel, one galaxy hosted a quasar—a highly luminous active galactic nucleus powered by a supermassive black hole approximately 200 million times the mass of our Sun. This quasar emitted intense radiation in focused beams, which penetrated the neighbouring galaxy, disrupting its molecular gas clouds—the raw material for star formation.
The quasar’s radiation fragmented these gas clouds into smaller, denser clumps, insufficient for star formation. This phenomenon, known as “quasar feedback,” illustrates how active galactic nuclei can influence and even suppress star formation in nearby galaxies.
This observation marks the first direct evidence of a quasar’s radiation significantly impacting another galaxy’s star-forming capabilities. The discovery was made possible through the combined efforts of international astronomers and advanced telescopic technology.
The findings shed light on the dynamic processes of galaxy formation and evolution in the early universe. Such interactions between galaxies and quasars were likely more common in the universe’s youth, influencing the development of galaxies we observe today.
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