3C 273
Overview
3C 273 is a quasar located in the constellation Virgo. It was the first quasar ever to be identified, and it remains one of the brightest quasars in the night sky. 3C 273 is notable for its high luminosity, rapid variability, strong radio emission, and its jet of material that extends millions of light-years into space.
Discovery
The object known as 3C 273 was first identified in the third Cambridge catalogue of radio sources, published in 1959. This catalogue, compiled by the Cambridge University Radio Astronomy Group, listed sources of radio emission detected by the Cambridge Interferometer. 3C 273 was one of the strongest sources listed in the catalogue.
Identification as a Quasar
The true nature of 3C 273 was revealed in 1963 by astronomer Maarten Schmidt. Using the 200-inch Hale Telescope at the Palomar Observatory, Schmidt observed a visible-light spectrum of 3C 273 that showed a strong redshift, indicating that the object was moving away from us at a high velocity. This was the first identification of a quasar, a new type of astronomical object.
Properties
3C 273 is one of the most luminous objects in the universe. Its luminosity is about two trillion times that of the Sun, or about 100 times that of the total light of average giant galaxies like our Milky Way. This enormous energy output is produced by matter falling into a supermassive black hole at the center of the quasar.
Jet
One of the most remarkable features of 3C 273 is its jet, a stream of particles being ejected from the quasar's central region. This jet, which extends for millions of light-years, is visible in both radio and visible light.
Observations
3C 273 is a popular target for both professional and amateur astronomers. Despite its great distance, it is visible with a small telescope under dark skies.