But a new study by scientists from the universities of Sheffield and Hertfordshire has shown that quasars are the result of galaxies colliding.
The team made this discovery using deep observations with the Isaac Newton Telescope in La Palma. They found that the outer regions of galaxies containing quasars have distorted structures that indicate collisions between galaxies. Most galaxies have supermassive black holes at their centers, and collisions between galaxies cause gas to flow into the black hole. Before the gas is consumed, it releases an extraordinary amount of energy in the form of radiation, which results in the characteristic glow of a quasar.
The study’s authors observed 48 quasars and their host galaxies, and concluded that galaxies containing quasars are about three times more likely to interact or collide with other galaxies.
Source: Ferra
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