Contents
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5.1 Discovery of Quasars 5.1 Discovery of Quasars
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5.2 Active Galaxies and Unification 5.2 Active Galaxies and Unification
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5.3 Superluminal Jets and Blazars 5.3 Superluminal Jets and Blazars
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5.4 Nonaccreting Central Black Holes 5.4 Nonaccreting Central Black Holes
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5.5 Mass Determinations for Extragalactic SMBHs 5.5 Mass Determinations for Extragalactic SMBHs
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Cite
Abstract
This chapter focuses on supermassive black holes, which are sometimes abbreviated “SMBHs.” Stellar-mass black holes are clearly common consequences of stellar evolution, but they are not the only kinds of black holes identified by astronomers. Much more massive black holes are located in the center of many, and perhaps all, galaxies. These black holes are referred to as supermassive black holes. They are responsible for a range of phenomena originating from objects described as active galactic nuclei (AGN), which were first observed in the form of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) or quasars. AGN are among the most luminous objects in the Universe and can be observed at great distances. The distances can be so great that the light travel time from the AGN to Earth is a large fraction of the age of the Universe. They are therefore often used to probe the evolution of the Universe.
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