It's also key to note that the team knows these observed black holes are indeed quasars - aka, they're actively feeding (or at least going to be doing so) - due to the reddish tint as well. The dust obscures the black holes and reddens the colors,' 'Also, they appear red because they are dusty. 'While the 'problematic quasars' are blue, extremely bright and reach billions of times the mass of the sun, the little red dots are more like 'baby quasars.' Their masses lie between 10 and 100 million solar masses,' Matthee said. Quite cinematically, the researchers say the JWST identified the objects - which the team adorably calls 'baby quasars' - in the form of several little red dots.

We hope that this work will help us lift one of the biggest veils of mystery about the universe,' Matthee said. It's hard to explain why they are there, but they are there. 'Black holes and are possibly the most interesting things in the universe. Maybe these smaller quasars represent the missing piece of the problematic-quasar timeline. Something doesn't add up.'Īha! That's where the team's new, medium-sized black hole discovery comes in. 'It's like looking at a five-year-old child that is 2 meters tall. 'If we consider that quasars originate from the explosions of massive stars - and that we know their maximum growth rate from the general laws of physics, some of them look like they have grown faster than is possible,' Matthee explained. Then, if this black hole starts actively feeding on surrounding matter, it eventually becomes a big, bad quasar. Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

James webb space telescope timeline