An artist’s impression of a quasar (IMAGE)

Ehime University

An artist’s impression of a quasar

Caption

A supermassive black hole (SMBH; the small black dot at the center) absorbs surrounding material, which forms a spiral disk-like shape as it flows in. The gravitational energy of the material is converted to radiation and emitted away from the disk. SMBHs with such shining outskirts are called “quasars”.

Credit

Yoshiki Matsuoka

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