Astronomers Uncover Hidden Quasars in Early Universe with JWST and Subaru Data
New Delhi, May 30, 2025 | TheTrendingPeople.com — A groundbreaking discovery is reshaping our understanding of how supermassive black holes formed and evolved in the early universe. By combining data from Japan’s Subaru Telescope and the powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have identified a previously unknown class of dust-obscured quasars, dating back to less than a billion years after the Big Bang.
This new class of objects, hiding behind thick curtains of cosmic dust, appears to bridge the gap between two previously known types of early-universe phenomena—bright quasars and the faint, mysterious “Little Red Dots” first spotted by JWST in late 2022.
A Hidden Population of Quasars Emerges
The discovery was led by Yoshiki Matsuoka of Ehime University in Japan, along with an international team of astronomers. Their work focused on 13 early-universe galaxies first flagged by the Subaru Telescope, whose light signatures hinted at energetic activity beyond mere star formation.
While earlier surveys had suggested the presence of something powerful—possibly supermassive black holes—in these galaxies, the technical limitations of ground-based observations left many questions unanswered.
That’s where JWST’s powerful infrared spectrograph came in.
By re-examining the 13 candidate galaxies with JWST’s high-resolution instruments, the team detected broad emission lines and high-velocity gas outflows—both unmistakable signs of active galactic nuclei (AGN). These are the central engines of galaxies, powered by the accretion of matter into supermassive black holes.
Of the 13 galaxies observed, nine were confirmed to host these hidden quasars—cosmic powerhouses whose intrinsic brightness rivals that of known quasars, but whose optical light is heavily reddened due to thick surrounding dust.
What Makes These Quasars Unique?
Quasars are typically known for their extreme luminosity, shining brightly across vast cosmic distances. But these newly discovered objects don’t fit the classic mold.
Instead, they are more similar to the enigmatic “Little Red Dots”—compact, red-shifted objects identified by JWST in late 2022. These dots were thought to be either small galaxies or heavily dust-enshrouded black holes, but their exact nature remained uncertain.
The new discovery suggests that these two types of objects may actually be connected stages in black hole evolution.
“We were surprised to find that obscured quasars are so abundant in the early universe,” said lead author Matsuoka. “This suggests that many young supermassive black holes have remained hidden in previous optical surveys.”
This abundance could mean that astronomers have underestimated the number of early black holes, simply because dust blocked their light in traditional observations.
Bridging the Cosmic Gap
Jorryt Matthee, an astrophysicist at IST Austria not involved in the study, described the discovery as a "missing link" in the timeline of early cosmic development.
According to Matthee, these obscured quasars may represent a transitional phase between:
- Brilliant, rare quasars seen in early Hubble and ground-based surveys, and
- Faint, red dots observed by JWST, thought to be either low-luminosity AGN or small early galaxies.
The findings offer a more complete picture of black hole and galaxy formation during the so-called “cosmic dawn”—the first billion years after the Big Bang, when galaxies and stars began lighting up the universe.
A Shift in How We See the Early Universe
This discovery also highlights the critical importance of infrared astronomy. Dust in the early universe absorbs visible light but lets infrared wavelengths pass through. This means powerful tools like JWST are essential for peering into obscured regions that ground-based telescopes simply can’t reach.
In the words of one researcher involved in the project:
“We are no longer blind to half the universe—we just needed the right kind of eyes.”
With JWST now fully operational, astronomers can systematically search for more of these hidden quasars and begin estimating the masses of their central black holes and host galaxies. This, in turn, will help refine models of how galaxies and black holes co-evolved at a time when the universe was still very young.
What's Next? Mapping the Cosmic Origins
Matsuoka’s team isn’t stopping at just 13 galaxies. Building on their initial success, they now plan to observe 30 more Subaru-selected targets using JWST.
These observations will focus on:
- Gas dynamics around the quasars
- The environments in which they reside
- The interactions between black holes and their host galaxies
The ultimate goal is to trace the origins of the Little Red Dots, understand how galaxies grow alongside their central black holes, and explain how the first galactic giants took shape.
This new wave of discoveries is expected to refine theories of early-universe physics and may even change the timeline of when and how black holes first emerged.
Final Thoughts: A Hidden Universe Revealed
The identification of a new class of dust-obscured quasars is more than just a new entry in the catalog of cosmic phenomena. It represents a fundamental shift in how we view the early universe.
Astronomers have long suspected that the universe’s earliest black holes were more common than previously detected. Now, with the JWST acting as a cosmic infrared flashlight, they are beginning to confirm those suspicions.
From mysterious red dots to glowing, shrouded quasars, the story of the cosmic dawn is growing more complete with each passing observation.
And it’s only just beginning.
📌 Related Reading
- James Webb Space Telescope: How It’s Redefining Astronomy
- What Are Quasars? The Brightest Objects in the Universe Explained
- The Little Red Dots: JWST’s First Mystery of the Early Universe
📌 Source: Compiled from Subaru Telescope and JWST data, as reported by Ehime University and peer-reviewed research updates.