In a new study, the JWST captured images of quasars—the intensely bright centers of galaxies powered by supermassive black holes—existing in unexpected regions of space. These quasars, some of the oldest and most distant ever observed, appear to be isolated, with very few neighboring galaxies. This finding raises critical questions about how such supermassive black holes could have formed and grown so large in the first few hundred million years after the Big Bang without an abundant supply of nearby matter.

Unexpected Discovery: Lonely Quasars

The JWST has the ability to peer back over 13 billion years, providing scientists with an unprecedented view of the early universe. In their study, astronomers focused on five quasars that formed between 600 to 700 million years after the Big Bang. Quasars are usually expected to form in dense regions of space filled with galaxies that provide the black holes with enough matter to fuel their rapid growth. However, the five quasars identified by JWST exist in what appear to be sparsely populated regions, with very few neighboring galaxies in sight.

“Contrary to previous belief, we find on average, these quasars are not necessarily in those highest-density regions of the early universe. Some of them seem to be sitting in the middle of nowhere,” said Anna-Christina Eilers, lead author of the study and a professor at MIT. “It’s difficult to explain how these quasars could have grown so big if they appear to have nothing to feed from.”

The discovery challenges the established model of how supermassive black holes grow. In denser regions of space, black holes are thought to accumulate mass by consuming gas, dust, and other material provided by nearby galaxies. But the newfound quasars seem to lack these essential materials, raising the question of how they managed to grow into some of the most massive objects in the universe so early in cosmic history.

How Quasars Defy Formation Theories

The most striking aspect of the study is the significant variation between the environments of the quasars. One quasar was found surrounded by nearly 50 neighboring galaxies, while another had only two galaxies nearby. Despite these dramatic differences, all the quasars shared similar sizes, luminosities, and ages, suggesting they formed around the same time and under the same cosmic conditions. “That was really surprising to see,” Eilers remarked, “For instance, one quasar has almost 50 galaxies around it, while another has just two.”

This variation introduces new uncertainties into the standard model of black hole formation. Current theories suggest that dark matter filaments in the early universe acted like gravitational highways, pulling in gas and dust that fed the growth of stars and galaxies. Quasars, which are thought to emerge in these dense regions, would have required large amounts of nearby matter to sustain their rapid growth. However, the “lonely” quasars identified by JWST contradict this, suggesting that some supermassive black holes may have formed in isolation, with little nearby matter to sustain them.

“Our results show that there’s still a significant piece of the puzzle missing of how these supermassive black holes grow,” Eilers added. “If there’s not enough material around for some quasars to be able to grow continuously, that means there must be some other way that they can grow, that we have yet to figure out.”

Implications for Understanding the Early Universe

The discovery of these isolated quasars could significantly reshape our understanding of the early universe. The prevailing cosmological model, which predicts that quasars form in the densest regions of the universe, may need to be revised to account for these findings. The presence of these quasars in seemingly empty regions of space raises the possibility that supermassive black holes can grow in ways that are not yet fully understood.

JWST’s ability to observe these distant quasars in such detail is a major leap forward for astronomy. “It’s just phenomenal that we now have a telescope that can capture light from 13 billion years ago in so much detail,” Eilers commented. The team’s findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, may provide new clues about how the earliest galaxies and black holes formed, potentially unveiling new pathways for the growth of supermassive black holes in the early universe.

This research also opens the door to further studies, as scientists work to understand the precise mechanisms that allowed these quasars to form in seemingly barren regions of space. Future observations, including more detailed studies of these quasars’ surroundings, could help astronomers solve one of the most puzzling mysteries of modern cosmology.

Centaur 29P and Its Unusual Behavior

Centaurs, named after the mythical half-human, half-horse creatures, are transitional objects between the Kuiper Belt and comets. They orbit between Jupiter and Neptune and are thought to be former trans-Neptunian objects that were moved closer to the Sun by the gravitational influences of the giant planets. Centaur 29P is particularly intriguing because it undergoes regular outbursts of gas and dust, making it one of the most active centaurs in the outer solar system. These outbursts occur every six to eight weeks.

Using JWST’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), scientists have now been able to map these jets in greater detail than ever before. Previous observations indicated that 29P emitted jets of carbon monoxide directed toward the Sun, but JWST's superior capabilities allowed researchers to observe jets of carbon dioxide, which had not been detected before.

As Sara Faggi, lead author of the study from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, noted, “Centaurs can be considered as some of the leftovers of our planetary system’s formation. Because they are stored at very cold temperatures, they preserve information about volatiles in the early stages of the solar system.” She added, “Webb really opened the door to a resolution and sensitivity that was impressive to us—when we saw the data for the first time, we were excited. We had never seen anything like this.”

Mapping the Jets and Uncovering 29P's Composition

The study revealed two CO₂ jets emanating from north and south regions of 29P’s nucleus and a CO jet pointing towards the north. The discovery of CO₂ is significant, as it is one of the main ways carbon is stored in the solar system. This finding suggests that the surface of Centaur 29P is more complex than previously thought.

Analyzing the data, the team also created a 3D model of the jets to better understand their orientation and origin. They concluded that the jets likely came from different regions on the centaur’s surface, which may suggest that the nucleus is composed of distinct bodies with varied compositions. Geronimo Villanueva, co-author of the study, said, “The fact that Centaur 29P has such dramatic differences in the abundance of CO and CO₂ across its surface suggests that 29P may be made of several pieces. Maybe two pieces coalesced together and made this centaur, which is a mixture between very different bodies that underwent separate formation pathways.”

The Ongoing Mystery of Outbursts

While JWST’s observations have provided significant insights, several mysteries about Centaur 29P remain. The exact mechanisms driving its regular outbursts are still unknown. Unlike comets, where water sublimation drives the jets, 29P is too far from the Sun for water ice to sublimate. Instead, the jets are likely driven by the release of other volatile gases, such as CO and CO₂.

As Adam McKay, another co-author of the study, explained, “We only had time to look at this object once, like a snapshot in time. I’d like to go back and look at Centaur 29P over a much longer period of time. Do the jets always have that orientation? Is there perhaps another carbon monoxide jet that turns on at a different point in the rotation period?” These questions will require further observations to answer, but JWST’s unprecedented sensitivity has already paved the way for deeper exploration of these enigmatic objects.

This discovery, published in Nature Astronomy on September 16, offers the first direct evidence that black holes can halt star formation by ejecting vital gas, leaving the galaxy dormant. The galaxy in question, GS-10578, also known as Pablo’s Galaxy, has stopped forming stars, a process known as "quenching," driven by the black hole at its core.

How a Supermassive Black Hole Starves Its Galaxy

At the heart of Pablo’s Galaxy, like many large galaxies, lies a supermassive black hole. These cosmic giants have long been known to influence their surroundings, but the exact relationship between black holes and star formation has remained elusive. In Pablo’s Galaxy, the black hole not only consumes nearby matter but also ejects vast streams of gas at incredible speeds—up to 1,000 kilometers per second. This outflow of gas, crucial for forming new stars, is being expelled from the galaxy so rapidly that it escapes the galaxy’s gravitational pull, leaving insufficient material behind to fuel star formation.

Dr. Francesco D’Eugenio, co-lead author of the study from the University of Cambridge, explained the significance of this finding: “The black hole is killing this galaxy and keeping it dormant by cutting off the source of ‘food’ the galaxy needs to form new stars.” The JWST’s ability to detect non-luminous gas—cold, dense gas that does not emit light—was key in observing these ejections. This gas, which previous telescopes could not detect, blocks light from a galaxy behind it, allowing scientists to determine its composition and mass. The mass of gas being expelled is greater than the amount needed to sustain star formation, confirming that the black hole is actively shutting down the galaxy's ability to create new stars.

The Implications for Understanding the Early Universe

Pablo’s Galaxy is located in the early universe, around 2 billion years after the Big Bang, a time when most galaxies were rapidly producing stars. Discovering a "dead" galaxy of this size at such an early period is particularly surprising to astronomers. Professor Roberto Maiolino, a co-author from the University of Cambridge, noted, “In the early universe, most galaxies are forming lots of stars, so it’s interesting to see such a massive dead galaxy at this period in time. If it had enough time to get to this massive size, whatever process that stopped star formation likely happened relatively quickly.”

The team’s findings challenge previous theories about how galaxies evolve. Until now, many models suggested that when star formation ceases in a galaxy, the process is violent and chaotic, often leaving the galaxy’s structure disrupted. However, Pablo’s Galaxy retains an orderly, disk-shaped structure, with its stars continuing to rotate smoothly, even though it is no longer forming new ones. This discovery suggests that the end of star formation might not always lead to galaxy-wide disruption.

Exploring the Mechanics of Black Hole-Driven Starvation

The study confirms long-standing theoretical models that suggested supermassive black holes can suppress star formation in their host galaxies, but until the JWST, direct observational evidence had been lacking. Using JWST’s advanced instruments, astronomers were able to observe that the galaxy’s black hole is expelling not only hot gas—typically seen in other galaxies with active black holes—but also colder, denser gas that is more crucial for star formation. This new wind component had previously gone undetected by earlier telescopes, further highlighting the JWST’s capabilities in exploring the early universe.

The ejected gas moves at such high speeds that it escapes the galaxy entirely, preventing the remaining material from cooling and condensing into new stars. This process effectively starves the galaxy of the resources it needs to form stars, leaving it in a "dead" state. The discovery of this mechanism, where a black hole can exert such a powerful influence over its galaxy, offers new insights into how galaxies evolve and how black holes shape their development.

As D’Eugenio emphasized, “We found the culprit. The black hole is killing this galaxy and keeping it dormant by cutting off the source of ‘food’ the galaxy needs to form new stars.” This finding helps solve a long-standing mystery in astronomy: how and why large galaxies like Pablo’s Galaxy stop forming stars while retaining their large sizes and overall structure.

Future Research on Black Hole and Galaxy Interactions

This discovery opens the door to more detailed studies of how black holes interact with their host galaxies, particularly in the early universe. While JWST has provided unprecedented detail about the quenching process in Pablo’s Galaxy, astronomers are eager to further investigate the surrounding region to determine if any star-forming gas remains or if other processes are at work. Future observations using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) will focus on detecting the coldest, darkest gas components that JWST may not have captured, providing a more comprehensive picture of the galaxy’s current state and the extent of the black hole’s influence.

In addition to studying Pablo’s Galaxy, astronomers hope to apply these findings to other galaxies with supermassive black holes. By understanding how black holes can quench star formation, researchers can better model the evolution of galaxies over time and assess the role black holes play in the growth and eventual "death" of galaxies.

As Professor Maiolino concluded, “We knew that black holes have a massive impact on galaxies, and perhaps it’s common that they stop star formation, but until Webb, we weren’t able to directly confirm this. It’s yet another way that Webb is such a giant leap forward in terms of our ability to study the early universe and how it evolved.”

This discovery is a major leap in our understanding of the cosmic life cycle of galaxies and the critical role that black holes play in shaping the universe. The JWST, with its unparalleled sensitivity and precision, continues to revolutionize our view of the cosmos, offering fresh insights into the early universe and how galaxies like our own Milky Way may have evolved billions of years ago.

Once believed to be composed largely of iron and nickel, the asteroid's composition now appears to be more complex than initially thought.

Recent data shows evidence of hydroxyl groups—the chemical building blocks of water—bonded to metals on Psyche's surface, suggesting that rust could be forming.

Unveiling Psyche’s Secrets Through Advanced Technology

The JWST employed its highly advanced Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to gather detailed data from Psyche’s surface. In March 2023, the telescope targeted the asteroid’s north pole to capture light reflected off its surface, revealing chemical compositions hidden from previous observations.

This analysis detected the presence of hydroxyl groups, which form when water molecules interact with metallic elements. This discovery is particularly significant because it suggests the asteroid may have been exposed to water or water-bearing compounds at some point in its history.

Scientists are now grappling with the implications of this finding. “The hydroxyl groups are likely bonded to metals on the asteroid, forming rust,” explained Stephanie Jarmak, a planetary scientist at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

The formation of rust on an asteroid as ancient and isolated as Psyche challenges previous beliefs that it was a purely metallic body, likely the exposed core of a failed protoplanet. Instead, this new evidence points to a much more complicated history that involves chemical interactions with water or its components, suggesting that Psyche’s journey through the solar system may have been more eventful than originally thought.

This discovery also raises new possibilities about how Psyche might have encountered water. Scientists theorize that the asteroid could have been impacted by water-bearing objects, or it may have formed in the outer reaches of the solar system before migrating inward. These hypotheses, if proven true, would significantly alter our understanding of Psyche’s evolution and its role within the broader context of solar system formation.

A Complex Origin Story for Psyche

For years, Psyche has been regarded as a unique object in the asteroid belt, situated between Mars and Jupiter. Measuring about 173 miles (280 kilometers) in diameter, Psyche was long thought to be the exposed metallic core of a protoplanet—an ancient planetary embryo that never fully developed due to collisions and the chaotic early environment of the solar system. This idea led to NASA’s launch of the Psyche mission in October 2023, which aims to study the asteroid up close when it arrives in 2029.

However, the discovery of hydroxyl groups complicates this narrative. Some scientists now believe that Psyche may have been shaped by collisions with water-bearing asteroids, which could have introduced the hydroxyl groups to its surface.

Alternatively, Psyche may have formed in a region of the outer solar system that was rich in water ice before migrating to its current position in the asteroid belt. This scenario would suggest that Psyche’s composition is far more varied than initially believed, possibly containing silicates or other materials that are typically associated with water.

“This hydroxyl signature is especially important because it shows that Psyche might not be the straightforward metallic body we once believed,” Jarmak noted. The data gathered from JWST has sparked a re-evaluation of Psyche’s place in the solar system’s history, suggesting that it could hold vital clues about the processes that shaped not only Psyche but also other celestial bodies during the formative years of our planetary system.

NASA’s Psyche Mission Set to Uncover More Mysteries

The findings from JWST come at a crucial time, as NASA’s Psyche mission is on track to reach the asteroid by 2029. Launched in October 2023, this spacecraft is equipped with instruments designed to study Psyche’s surface, magnetism, and geology in unprecedented detail. The mission promises to provide critical insights into whether Psyche is truly the remnant core of a protoplanet or a more complex object shaped by interactions with water and other materials.

"The successful delivery of the spacecraft to Kennedy Space Center marks a significant milestone and the culmination of over three years of dedicated teamwork from individuals across the project, especially our partners at Rocket Lab," said Rob Lillis, principal investigator at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory.

The Psyche mission aims to determine whether the asteroid’s rusting surface is the result of interactions with water-bearing objects or processes occurring within Psyche itself. The spacecraft will also probe deeper into the asteroid’s composition, searching for more evidence of hydrated minerals and exploring Psyche’s magnetic field to understand its internal structure.

As anticipation builds for the Psyche mission’s arrival, scientists are eager to uncover more of the asteroid’s secrets. The rusting surface revealed by JWST’s data is just the beginning, hinting at the possibility that Psyche holds valuable information about the early solar system’s chaotic and water-rich environment. With the potential to reshape our understanding of planetary formation, Psyche’s complex history could offer clues about the processes that shaped not only asteroids but also planets like Earth.