Hubble Captures Closest View of Quasar 3C 273, Revealing Mysterious Structures
The Hubble Space Telescope has provided its closest-ever view of a quasar, revealing unusual structures near its core. The quasar, designated 3C 273, lies billions of light-years from Earth and is one of the brightest known objects in the universe. This discovery was made possible by Hubble’s imaging spectrograph, which minimises the intense glare from the supermassive black hole powering the quasar, allowing astronomers to examine its surroundings in unprecedented detail.
According to a NASA report, Bin Ren, a researcher at the Côte d’Azur Observatory in France, described the findings as peculiar, stating that they have got a few blobs of different sizes and a mysterious L-shaped filamentary structure within 16,000 light-years of the black hole. These features may include small galaxies feeding the black hole with gas and dust, fuelling the quasar’s immense brightness.
The Unique Properties of Quasars
Quasars, powered by supermassive black holes, are the luminous centres of active galaxies. Their brightness is a result of matter falling into the black hole and forming an accretion disk, where immense gravitational forces heat the material until it glows. Magnetic fields near the poles of these black holes accelerate some particles to nearly the speed of light, creating jets of plasma that can extend hundreds of thousands of light-years.
There are around a million quasars visible from Earth, with most of them formed approximately 3 billion years after the Big Bang. Not all galaxies, however, host quasars, as this depends on the availability of surrounding matter to sustain the black hole’s activity.
New Insights into Quasar 3C 273
The Hubble observations also allowed researchers to study the jet extending 300,000 light-years from 3C 273. By comparing images taken over 22 years, astronomers noted that the jet appears to move faster the farther it is from the black hole. Ren indicated that future studies, including observations with the James Webb Space Telescope, may provide additional insights into the quasar’s complex structure and galactic interactions.
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A recent study has provided crucial insights into the manufacturing techniques used to create the Nebra Sky Disc, an artefact thought to date back 3,800 years to the Early Bronze Age. The analysis challenges claims suggesting the disc could be a modern forgery. Researchers revealed that the disc was crafted through an elaborate “hot forging” process, involving at least ten heating and hammering cycles at temperatures exceeding 700°C, according to Christian-Heinrich Wunderlich, a metallurgist cited by Live Science.
Discovery and Ongoing Debate
The study was published in Scientific Reports on November 21. Unearthed in 1999 near Nebra, Germany, the 12-inch bronze disc, adorned with gold symbols thought to represent celestial bodies, has been the subject of considerable debate. Initial reports lauded it as the oldest known depiction of the sky. However, questions regarding its authenticity arose, including theories suggesting its discovery site might have been staged to enhance its market value.
Experts involved in the study recreated a replica using Early Bronze Age techniques, reportedly. The metallographic comparison between the replica and the original disc identified crystal structures in the bronze consistent with ancient hot forging methods. Wunderlich in a statement to LiveScience said that the copper used in the disc was traced to a specific Austrian mine active during the Early Bronze Age but no longer operational in subsequent eras. This finding undermines suggestions that the artefact might be significantly younger.
Symbolism and Craftsmanship
The disc combines bronze with gold elements using a technique known as damascening. Harald Meller, state archaeologist of Saxony-Anhalt, emphasised in his statement that the advanced metalworking skills evident in its construction. The gold inlays, possibly depicting the sun, moon, stars, and other celestial elements, have been interpreted as an early astronomical chart.
The artefact remains on display at the Saxony-Anhalt State Museum of Prehistory, celebrated for its historical significance. While disputes surrounding its origins continue, recent findings provide strong evidence supporting its Bronze Age provenance.
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A marble bust, unearthed at the ancient city of Taposiris Magna in Egypt, is believed by archaeologist Kathleen Martinez to depict Cleopatra VII, the renowned Ptolemaic queen linked to Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. The discovery, made beneath a temple wall, features a female figure wearing a diadem, a royal headpiece. Reports from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities highlight that Martinez, who leads the Egyptian-Dominican excavation team, attributes the statue to Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, reigning from 69 to 30 B.C.
Scepticism has been raised by other archaeologists about the identification of the statue. In statements made to Live Science, Zahi Hawass, a former Egyptian minister of antiquities, suggested that the artefact likely represents a Roman-era figure rather than Cleopatra. He explained that during Cleopatra’s reign, Egyptian art styles predominated, whereas the Roman style evident in the bust would align with a later period, after Cleopatra’s death in 30 B.C.
Artefacts and Additional Discoveries at Taposiris Magna
Numerous artefacts were uncovered alongside the bust, including 337 coins, some depicting Cleopatra VII, oil lamps, and a bronze ring dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Excavations at the site have also revealed a necropolis with 20 tombs, fragments of other statues, and a previously unknown temple believed to date back to the Ptolemaic period.
Kathleen Martinez, who has led research at Taposiris Magna for over a decade, has previously posited that Cleopatra’s tomb might be located at the site, though this theory lacks consensus among experts. Underwater exploration near the site has also yielded pottery, structures, and human remains, though further studies are required to establish their historical context.
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