QSO J0305-3150 | |
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![]() QSO J0305-3150 imaged by DESI Legacy Survey | |
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch) | |
Constellation | Fornax |
Right ascension | 03h 05m 16.92s |
Declination | −31° 50′ 55.92″ |
Redshift | 6.614500 |
Distance | 12.8 billion ly (light-travel time distance) |
Characteristics | |
Type | QSO |
Other designations | |
VIKING J030516.92-315056.0 |
QSO J0305-3150 or J0305-3150, is an extremely distant luminous quasar [1] located in the constellation of Fornax. It was first discovered by the VISTA Kilo-degree Infrared Galaxy survey (VIKING) in November 2013 and has a redshift of (z) 6.61, corresponding to a light travel time of 12.8 billion light-years. [2]
QSO J0305-3150 is a quasar with an absolute magnitude of M1450 = -25.96 ± 0.06, but it is found fainter than ULAS J1120+0641. [2] Its estimated integrated line flux is 3.44 ± 0.15 Jy km s-1 making it the highest known amongst two other studied quasars, J0109-3047 and J2348-3054. When compared with another high redshift quasar SDSS J114816.64+525150.3, its emission line luminosity is found similar making the object amongst the brightest [C II] emitters. [3] A Lyman-alpha emission nebula is seen surrounding the quasar, being displaced and redshifted, with an extension of 9 kiloparsecs. [4]
The host of QSO J0305-3150 is described as massive ultraluminous inflared galaxy with a luminosity of 4.0-7.5 x 1012 Lʘ and a star formation of 1500 Mʘ per year. In the center like most other galaxies, lies a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of 1 x 109 Mʘ. Evidence showed the black hole is accreting given the presence of complex interstellar gas located within 3 kiloparsecs with high velocity dispersion. [5] A molecular gas reservoir has been found in the host galaxy with a measured stellar mass of less than 2.1 x 1010 Mʘ [6] and a mass surface density of (2.0 ± 0.9) x 104 pc-2. [7]
Observations made by Atacama Large Millimeter Array in February 2025, has found the quasar is undergoing a merger with a nearby companion galaxy described as an Lyman-alpha emitter (LAE). [8] [4] When observed, it is found to display a compact dust continuum emission with most recovered within 1.6 kiloparsecs and a singly ionized carbon [C II] emission profile mainly made of a central Gaussian and an extended component. Results have also shown the emission is on large-scale with an aligned velocity gradient towards the galaxy, perturbed and misaligned with small-scale emission. As there is lack of [C II] emission in physical structures of 1 kiloparsec, it is not produced in dense photodissociation regions but inside low-density regions of both diffused H I gas and interstellar medium produced from tidal stripping during the merger process. [8]
A filamentary structure has been discovered surrounding QSO J0305-3150 by James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Based on observations, the structure is found to have a galaxy overdensity, making the structure most overdense when found in the early universe. The environment where the quasar is residing is complex with a diverse population of galaxies, among them dusty forming and ultraviolet-bright galaxies. [9]