News
This Underperforming Black Hole
Even in the vast and mysterious universe, there are entities that fall short of expectations. Take, for instance, the quasar H1821+643, a black hole boasting a mass over four billion times that of the Sun. Despite its impressive size, this astronomical singularity has been labeled an underachiever by researchers at the University of Nottingham and Harvard in a recent study.
The quasar H1821+643, located 3.4 billion light-years away at the heart of a galaxy cluster, fails to exhibit the expected influence on its surrounding environment. Quasars are known for their immense power, rapidly absorbing matter and emitting radiation, as well as producing particle streams. However, this particular quasar seems to be holding back in its cosmic responsibilities.
Using data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, scientists analyzed the behavior of H1821+643 and discovered that it was not living up to its potential. The X-ray emissions from the quasar overshadowed the surrounding hot gas, hindering astronomers’ ability to observe the gas dynamics in the galaxy. Despite being in close proximity to such a powerful entity, the gas appeared cooler than anticipated, suggesting that the quasar was not releasing as much energy as anticipated.
Further investigation uncovered that the gas density around the quasar was higher than expected, and its temperature was cooler than the outer regions of the galaxy. This anomaly suggested that the quasar was not undergoing typical energetic outbursts that would disperse gas and heat it to extreme temperatures. As a result, the environment near H1821+643 was conducive to star formation, with significant amounts of gas cooling and forming new stars annually.
Despite the potential for star formation, the quasar itself was not actively cooling the surrounding gas. While some energy transfer processes were occurring, they could only account for a small fraction of the observed cooling. The peculiar characteristics of H1821+643 have raised numerous questions, providing scientists with an opportunity to delve deeper into the dynamics of quasars and their impact on galaxies.
By unraveling the mysteries of underachieving black holes like H1821+643, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the cosmic phenomena that shape our universe. While this quasar may not be living up to expectations, its unique qualities offer valuable insights into the complex interplay between supermassive black holes and their surroundings.
Learn More:
NASA / CXC – NASA’s Chandra Identifies an Underachieving Black Hole
Russell et al. – A cooling flow around the low-redshift quasar H1821+643
UT – What Is A Quasar?
UT – This New Map of 1.3 Million Quasars Is A Powerful Tool
Lead Image:
Image of the H1821-643 quasar.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Nottingham/H. Russell et al.
Radio: NSF/NRAO/VLA
Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk
News
Is now the right time to invest in gold as prices have cooled?
The price of gold has climbed to record highs recently and has remained strong through much of April. And, that growth continued until the precious metal traded at around $2,390 per ounce on April 19, 2024. But since, growth in the price of the precious metal has cooled, with gold’s price now hovering around $2,300 per ounce.
This lull in gold’s price may represent an investment opportunity.
In general, investing is centered around buying assets when prices are low and selling them when prices are high – generating a profit on the difference between the two. So, considering the declines in gold’s price over the past few days, now may be the time to make your investment. But is buying gold during this lull in prices really a good idea?
Compare your gold investment options among leading brokers now.
Gold prices have cooled. Should you buy in now?
With gold’s price down from recent highs, you may be wondering if now is the right time to buy in. There are several reasons the dip in gold’s price may represent an opportunity to buy. Here are some of the biggest:
Prices may rise again
If looking at a gold price chart shows anything for certain, it shows that changes in the overall growth of the medal come in fits and spurts. Periods of price growth are typically followed by periods of declines and vice versa.
But with inflation rising in recent months – and with gold’s reputation as a safe-haven asset that can hedge against inflation – it only makes sense that the price of the precious metal will eventually start to head up again in the future. While attempting to time that directional change may be tricky, buying the precious metal while the price is down gives you the opportunity to take advantage of any upward movement that may be ahead.
Add gold to your portfolio now before prices have a chance to rise.
You may be able to make a quick profit
Gold isn’t known as an asset in which you can earn a quick return, but in today’s market, that may be the case. Don’t forget that in January, gold was trading at just $2,000 per ounce. And, by mid-April, the commodity’s price had climbed to around $2,400 per ounce. That’s about 20% growth in a matter of months, much of which happened since March 1 – an impressive climb for any investment asset.
Perhaps more importantly, gold’s price growth through the beginning of 2024 shows that the commodity doesn’t have to be a buy and hold style investment that you keep in a safety deposit box or precious metal depository for years to come. There’s also the possibility that the commodity’s price could climb further ahead, making it a compelling way to potentially generate a quick profit.
There are other benefits of investing in gold
There are other benefits of investing in gold that have little to do with the price growth seen thus far in 2024 – or the lull in prices seen over the past couple of days. Those benefits include:
- Inflation protection: Gold has long been considered an inflation hedge, and for good reason. When inflation drives the prices of consumer goods and services up – and the value of the dollar down – gold’s price tends to rise. So, it could be used to maintain the value of your portfolio during inflationary economic conditions. That’s important in today’s economic environment as stubborn inflation continues to weigh on the value of the dollar.
- Portfolio diversification: Gold’s price doesn’t always move in the same pattern that bonds or stocks do. So, mixing a reasonable amount of gold into your portfolio (up to 10% of your portfolio assets) as a diversifier could protect you from losses should one or more of your traditional portfolio assets fall in value. “If you have less than 5% – 10% of your net worth in commodities & FX (forex), you should absolutely consider adding exposure to gold and other precious metals,” says Vijay Marolia, money manager and managing partner at the wealth management firm, Regal Point Capital.
The bottom line
Gold’s price has fallen from recent highs – which may represent an opportunity to tap into growth ahead. However, gold isn’t simply a “buy while it’s low and sell while it’s a high” kind of investment opportunity. The commodity can also protect your portfolio from the stubborn inflation we’ve seen thus far in 2024 while acting as a diversification tool that could increase your risk-adjusted portfolio returns. So, consider adding gold to your portfolio today while it has the potential to grow in value.
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