A team of astronomers from the Chinese mainland has discovered over 1,300 new quasars hidden behind the Milky Way’s Galactic plane, unveiling a trove of cosmic secrets previously obscured by interstellar dust and gas.
The discovery was made using China’s Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST), one of the world’s most powerful optical telescopes. By conducting extensive spectroscopic surveys, the scientists identified 1,982 quasars, including 1,338 that were previously unknown.
Quasars are the brightly luminous cores of distant galaxies, powered by supermassive black holes consuming surrounding matter. They serve as essential tools for astronomers to study the large-scale structure of the universe, the evolution of galaxies, and fundamental cosmic phenomena.
“Finding these quasars behind the Galactic plane is particularly challenging due to the high dust extinction and dense star fields,” explained Professor Wu Xuebing from the Department of Astronomy at Peking University, who led the study. “Our discovery demonstrates the potential of spectroscopic surveys in revealing these hidden cosmic treasures.”
The Galactic plane, the dense region of the Milky Way where stars, gas, and dust are most concentrated, has long posed difficulties for astronomers attempting to peer beyond it. The dusty environment absorbs and scatters light, making it hard to detect distant objects like quasars.
“These newly discovered quasars will help fill the gap in the spatial distribution of known quasars near the Galactic plane,” said Huo Zhiying, the first author of the paper from the National Astronomical Observatories. “They are excellent tracers for probing the chemistry and kinematics of the interstellar and intergalactic medium in our galaxy.”
The findings not only enhance our understanding of the universe but also contribute to constructing an astrometric reference frame, which is crucial for precise measurements in astronomy.
This research underscores the significance of advanced observational instruments like LAMOST in exploring the depths of the universe and sheds new light on several hot topics in cosmic research.
