Astronomers have identified a massive water reservoir hidden in a corner of the cosmos, circling a quasar more than 12 billion light-years away. This discovery sheds new light on the formation and evolution of galaxies in the early universe.
The water supply, containing 140 trillion times all the water in Earth’s oceans combined, is situated near a supermassive black hole about 20 billion times more massive than our sun. The black hole is surrounded by the quasar APM 08279+5255, which produces as much energy as a thousand trillion suns.
According to Matt Bradford, lead scientist on one of the teams involved in the observations, “The environment around this quasar is unique in that it’s producing this huge mass of water.” The presence of water vapor in this distant quasar suggests that radiation from the black hole keeps the gas relatively warm, contrary to what is typically seen in normal galaxies.
Astronomers detected other molecules, including carbon monoxide, hinting at an abundance of raw material that can feed the black hole. They estimate that there’s enough gas for the black hole to increase in size by about six times. The findings open a window into what conditions were like when the universe was still young.
The detection of water vapor in this distant quasar expands our knowledge of how building blocks appear across vast stretches of time and space. Water is essential for life, and its presence billions of years ago suggests that the elements needed for life have been around for a very long time.
By studying this distant quasar, scientists can gain new insights into how galaxies changed as the universe aged and matured. The discovery provides evidence of the pervasive nature of water throughout the universe, even at its earliest times.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/enough-water-to-fill-trillions-of-earths-oceans-found-circling-black-hole-quasar