OUR INCREDIBLE UNIVERSE - THE MOST LUMINOUS OBJECT CURRENTLY KNOWN

 Hey, Space Placers!

Artist’s concept of the record-breaking quasar J0529-4351. A quasar is the bright core of a distant galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole. This record quasar is now the current title holder of most luminous object in the universe, fastest-growing black hole and largest accretion disk. The supermassive black hole, depicted here as it pulls in surrounding matter, has a mass 17 billion times that of the sun and grows by the equivalent of another solar mass per day. Image via ESO/ M. Kornmesser.

VIA EARTHSKY.ORG

From the story (my emphasis added):

We have discovered the fastest-growing black hole known to date. It has a mass of 17 billion suns, and eats just over a sun per day. This makes it the most luminous object in the known universe.

In fact, J0529-4351 emits so much energy it’s over 500 trillion times more luminous than the sun. 

Quasar J0529-4351 is so far away from Earth that its light took more than 12 billion years to reach us.

Simply incredible!!!!!

The Universe never ceases to amaze us.....

Sky Guy in VA