How can a galaxy’s center outshine the galaxy itself?

Some of the brightest objects in the universe are powered by black holes.

These objects are called quasars, and they can shine brighter than entire galaxies.

A quasar forms when a supermassive black hole consumes large amounts of gas and dust.

As this material spirals inward, it heats up intensely and releases enormous amounts of energy before crossing the black hole’s event horizon.

Quasars help astronomers study supermassive black holes, galaxy evolution, and the distant universe.

Because many quasars are extremely far away, their light allows us to look back into the early history of the cosmos.

You discovered how supermassive black holes can power some of the brightest objects in the universe.