ORIGINS 2B03 Lecture Notes - Centaurus A, Active Galactic Nucleus
9 Feb 2012
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Document Summary
If a supernova core is heavier than 3 solar masses, then nothing in nature can stop gravity from winning - once and for all! Stellar (at the end of a mass star"s life) Supermassive - million to billion times the mass of the sun (middle of galaxies) If you take h and he they will make big stars so that could be an explanation of the supermassive black holes in the early universe. Supermassive black holes in the center of galaxies. They ones eating material are called agn, dull ones are passive. Can be more luminous than the whole galaxy. Agn are extremely luminous so can be found to very great distances. Can have rapid variability (changes observed on very short time scales) More common in the past (in the early universe) The most powerful can outshine their entire host galaxy. Can have luminosity > 1012 lsun -- can be seen across the entire universe.
