Do all major galaxies start as quasars?
If this scenario is confirmed (optical observations from the ground are underway), it would add to the growing body of evidence that every major galaxy was once a brilliant quasar in its youth. Looking into the heart of the Milky Way, Chandra directly spied the two million-solar-mass black hole that resides in our own galactic core. “But every answer brings a new question,” said Murray. The Milky Way’s quasar fossil is glowing in X-rays even more faintly than expected. Perhaps it’s because our older galaxy has lower supplies of gas there for the super-massive black hole to “eat.” Or it might indicate that theorists need to revise their thinking on how a black-hole engine works. Chandra’s greatest strength is its ability to unveil once hidden sources — and not just in the far universe. Looking at the famous Orion nebula some 1,500 light-years distant, the largest star-forming region close to Earth, Chandra revealed a bevy of newborn X-ray-emitting stars that promises to help astronomer
