Hubble reveals new details of quasar 3C 273 and its hidden structures

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has provided new images of quasar 3C 273, located 2.5 billion light-years away. Researchers used the STIS coronagraph to reveal hidden structures, including an extragalactic jet and an L-shaped filament, around the black hole. These observations show unusual features near the black hole, suggesting interactions with smaller satellite galaxies. The quasar's jet, extending 300,000 light-years, was found to accelerate as it moves away from the black hole, enhancing understanding of quasar dynamics. The findings indicate that galactic collisions may be fueling the quasar's energy. This research contributes to a better understanding of quasars and their evolution, with future studies planned using the James Webb Space Telescope.