Sun Archives - News@91��ɫ

Fastest and most furious ultraviolet wind near a black hole found by 91��ɫ researchers

sandramc — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:21:14 +0000

TORONTO, June 4, 2026 – A team led by 91��ɫ researchers has discovered the fastest wind near a supermassive black hole ever found at ultraviolet wavelengths, driven by the disc of matter, or quasar, surrounding the black hole. &�Բ��;

“This quasar has a black hole of 1.7 billion times the mass of the Sun. That’s typical. What’s not typical is that it has gas moving towards us at 30 per cent of the speed of light,” says of the Faculty of Science.   &�Բ��;

The , published by The American Astronomical Society. &�Բ��;

The research team includes 91��ɫ graduate student and lead author Lucas Seaton, graduate student Marianna Veltri, and undergraduate student Zezhou Zhu, along with colleagues from the University of Washington Bothell and other members of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) collaboration.

“This quasar, known as J2318 (Jay Twenty-Three Eighteen), can be found in the Great Square in the constellation of Pegasus,” says Seaton. “In terms of its speed, this quasar’s wind could be called a category 79 hurricane,” says Seaton. “Every category of hurricane is about 20 per cent faster than the category below it. Calling it category 79 gives an idea of just how fast it is, but of course this wind is unlike anything on Earth.” &�Բ��;

An artist's impression of a quasar. The black dot in the center represents the supermassive black hole at the center of the quasar. The red-and-yellow spiral surrounding it shows the disc of hot gas falling into the black hole. Some of this gas is ejected as the quasar's wind, which is shown in light blue. The size of the disc shown is comparable to the size of our Solar System. &�Բ��;Credit: , Nahks Tr'Ehnl, Nurten Filiz Ak

Astronomers have known for close to three decades that every large galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its centre, with a mass from millions to billions of times that of the Sun, although contrary to popular belief they do not eat everything in reach. Matter spiraling into one of these black holes forms a disc far bigger than Earth’s orbit around the Sun and hotter than the surface of the Sun. These discs of hot gas, called quasars, generate enough light to be seen across the observable universe and to drive winds from their surfaces.

“In quasars, we often see winds of gas pushed away from the black hole by the light of the quasar,” says Seaton. “The wind in J2318 can be seen at ultraviolet wavelengths at velocities up to 30 per cent the speed of light. Even faster winds can be seen at x-ray wavelengths, but J2318 is the fastest ever discovered at ultraviolet wavelengths.”

Unlike the differences in gas pressure that drive atmospheric winds on Earth, winds from quasars are pushed at least in part by light itself. Individual packets of light (called photons) bounce off or are absorbed by atoms in the gas and accelerate them.

“Quasars put out so many photons that those tiny pushes add up to extreme velocities,” says Seaton. “The problem is, the photons can also remove all the electrons from the atoms, making them invisible. How to push the gas to the speeds we see while keeping the carbon and silicon ions we see intact… it’s quite a puzzle.”

The discovery relied on data from two components of the SDSS, an international survey of the night sky to which hundreds of astronomers have contributed since its start in 1998, specifically, the SDSS-IV and the SDSS-V . Veltri flagged the quasar as potentially interesting in SDSS-V in 2023 while an undergrad student at 91��ɫ. After looking at it using software set up by Zhu, Hall realized it had an extremely fast wind.

“Canada has a share of the eight-meter-diameter (also known as Gemini North) in Hawai’i, and we immediately proposed observations with it. They succeeded in confirming its record-breaking wind velocity,” he says, adding that he often involves 91��ɫ undergraduates in research as part of his participation in the SDSS. &�Բ��;

He explains that “just as a rainbow spreads the Sun’s light into different wavelengths (colours), the SDSS spreads out the light from certain stars, galaxies, and quasars into what we call their ‘spectra’. From those spectra, with practice, students learn to spot unusual quasars. In the past, only PhD astronomers or graduate students studying for a PhD would have made a discovery like this, but the SDSS enables undergraduates to do so.”

Study co-author, Associate Professor Paola Rodríguez Hidalgo of the University of Washington at Bothell, adds: “Both Patrick and I have been working together and with undergraduate students thanks to the SDSS Faculty and Students Team (FAST) initiative that supports these collaborations. Initiatives like this allow students to focus on research while finishing their undergraduate studies. These students will be the next generation of scientists and are already making scientific discoveries.”

Co-author Liliana Flores, who worked with Professor Rodríguez Hidalgo as an undergraduate at UW Bothell and was a FAST participant, says she was thrilled to contribute to the study of this extreme outflow case. “I was in charge of fitting the absorption profiles in the quasar spectrum to determine their velocity and equivalent widths. Repeated observations revealed that the amount of absorbed light changes over time. Something in the wind conditions must be changing for that to happen.” &�Բ��;

Veltri assembled measurements of the brightness of the quasar from 20 years of surveys, starting with the original SDSS. That data shows that J2318 is slowly varying in brightness in a way indistinguishable from other quasars. Only by taking detailed measurements of spectra with SDSS was the wind in J2318 revealed.

Rodríguez Hidalgo calls the discovery exciting. “These extreme outflows carry incredible amounts of energy that can affect the galaxies around them. They serve as a sort of missing link: the elusive feedback between the active central region of a galaxy and the rest of the galaxy. While this process has been included in simulations of galaxy formation for decades, a lot more work needs to be done to understand it from observations and make sure the simulations handle it correctly.”

Searches are continuing for more extremely high velocity outflows from quasars, says Flores. “It won’t be easy to find a faster ultraviolet outflow than that of J2318, but we are continuing this search from the nearby universe to the most distant reaches of the universe that we can see.”

Joint with: &�Բ��;
Sloan Digital Sky Survey &�Բ��;
University of Washington Bothell &�Բ��;
The Pennsylvania State University (local only) &�Բ��;

About 91��ɫ

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact: Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

 &�Բ��;

The post Fastest and most furious ultraviolet wind near a black hole found by 91��ɫ researchers appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Media Advisory: Talk to an expert about the solar eclipse; visit the 91��ɫ U Solar Fair

roshanp — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 15:51:50 +0000

TORONTO, Monday, August 14, 2017 – Ask a 91��ɫ expert about the upcoming solar eclipse now, and watch the event unfold later at 91��ɫ’s Solar Fair on Monday, Aug. 21, where telescopes will be set up for viewing.

Visitors will also be able to watch the path of the solar eclipse live on the big screen or don a pair of solar glasses made available by through the 91��ɫ Observatory to safely view the celestial event. About 70 per cent of the Sun’s surface will be covered by the Moon from Toronto.

Let’s Talk Science will also have interactive science demonstrations and an opportunity for people to build their own pin-hole camera to view the celestial event.

“It’s a sight not to be missed,” said Faculty of Science Dean Ray Jayawardhana. “The last time a total eclipse included parts of Canada was the winter of 1979.”

Ray Jayawardhana, astrophysicist and Dean of the Faculty of Science, taking in the total solar eclipse in Turkey

As astronomy expert in the Faculty of Science, Professor Paul Delaney says, “If you miss this one, the next chance to experience something similar in the United States and Canada won’t be until 2024.”

WHAT: 91��ɫ Solar Fair open to the public

WHEN: Monday, Aug. 21, from 1 to 4pm

WHERE: Lions Stadium, 91��ɫ. See number 6 on the .

WHO: 91��ɫ U experts – , expert in astronomy and astrophysics, and , expert in astronomy and space exploration.

More information on solar eclipse safety can be found on the website.

To see the path of totality, view the .

- 30 -

91��ɫ is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contacts:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097, sandramc@yorku.ca

The post Media Advisory: Talk to an expert about the solar eclipse; visit the 91��ɫ U Solar Fair appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

A total eclipse of the Sun – Astronomers excited for upcoming celestial spectacle

roshanp — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 15:01:58 +0000

TORONTO, Monday, June 19, 2017 – The upcoming total eclipse of the Sun, on Aug. 21, is already generating excitement with 91��ɫ astronomers. To witness it as a total eclipse, Canadians will have to head south to the United States, though it will be visible as a 70 per cent partial eclipse from Toronto. The last total solar eclipse to encompass parts of Canada was 38 years ago and that was mid-winter, say 91��ɫ U experts who are available to discuss the celestial spectacle.

Ray Jayawardhana, astrophysicist and Dean of the Faculty of Science, taking in the total solar eclipse in Turkey

"Even in this era of live-streaming, it's worth making the effort to see a total solar eclipse in person," says Ray Jayawardhana, astrophysicist and Dean of the Faculty of Science. "It's an incredible and immersive experience, one that you're likely to remember for the rest of your life. Photographs and video can't fully convey the sense of wonder."

91��ɫ U Professor Paul Delaney says, “This is a must see event. The next total solar eclipse to similarly be readily available to people in the United States and Canada is not until 2024.”

Jayawardhana ventured across the globe to see two previous total eclipses of the Sun, one in Turkey in 2006 and another in 2008 when he traveled to a remote corner of the Altai mountains in western Mongolia, enduring a 16-hour off-road trek in an old van.

A Shaman ceremony during a total solar eclipse in Mongolia where Ray Jayawardhana, astrophysicist and Dean of the Faculty of Science, was to watch the event

For those who cannot head south, 91��ɫ U will mount a Solar Fair for the eclipse from noon to 4pm on August 21 to allow people to come and safely view the partial eclipse with solar glasses and telescopes.

There will also be live streaming of the totality of the eclipse and science related demonstrations.

Safety is paramount as looking at the Sun directly at any time is dangerous. More information on solar eclipse safety can be found on the website.

"The August 21 total eclipse is likely to be among the most watched in recent history, since it will be relatively easy for tens of millions to people to reach its path of totality," says Jayawardhana.

91��ɫ U experts:

, expert in astronomy and space exploration

, expert in astronomy and astrophysics

To see the path of totality, view the .

Links to images of Ray Jayawardhana in Turkey watching the total solar eclipse and in Mongolia at a Shaman ceremony during a total solar eclipse:

http://news.yorku.ca/files/RayJayawardhana_TotalSoalrEclipse2006inTurkey.jpg

http://news.yorku.ca/files/ShamanCeremonyDuringTotalSolarEclipse_Mongolia2008.jpg

��30-

Media Contacts:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097, sandramc@yorku.ca

Margaret Mroziewicz, 91��ɫ Faculty of Science, 416-886-5189, margaret@yorku.ca

The post A total eclipse of the Sun – Astronomers excited for upcoming celestial spectacle appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Sun Archives - News@91��ɫ

Fastest and most furious ultraviolet wind near a black hole found by 91��ɫ researchers

Media Advisory: Talk to an expert about the solar eclipse; visit the 91��ɫ U Solar Fair

A total eclipse of the Sun – Astronomers excited for upcoming celestial spectacle

Fastest and most furious ultraviolet wind near a black hole found by 91��ɫ researchers