astronomy

QSO J0305−3150

QSO J0305−3150 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand QSO J0305−3150 rather than just read about it. In short: QSO J0305−3150 or J0305−3150, is an extremely distant luminous quasar 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.

Key takeaways

QSO J0305−3150 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect QSO J0305−3150 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of QSO J0305−3150 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

QSO J0305−3150 or J0305−3150, is an extremely distant luminous quasar 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.

Description 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. 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. A Lyman-alpha emission nebula is seen surrounding the quasar, being displaced and redshifted, with an extension of 9 kiloparsecs. The host of QSO J0305−3150 is described as massive ultraluminous inflared galaxy with a luminosity of 4.0-7.5 × 1012 L☉ and a star formation of 1500 M☉ per year. In the center like most other galaxies, lies a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of 1 × 109 M☉. Evidence showed the black hole is accreting given the presence of complex interstellar gas located within 3 kiloparsecs with high velocity dispersion. A molecular gas reservoir has been found in the host galaxy with a measured stellar mass of less than 2.1 × 1010 M☉ and a mass surface density of (2.0 ± 0.9) × 104 pc−2. 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). 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. 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.

References

External links QSO J0305−3150 on NASA/IPAC Database

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with QSO J0305−3150

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what QSO J0305−3150 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to QSO J0305−3150 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about QSO J0305−3150 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of QSO J0305−3150

In research: QSO J0305−3150 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses QSO J0305−3150 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: QSO J0305−3150 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Active galaxies, Astronomical objects discovered in 2013, Fornax, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for QSO J0305−3150 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study QSO J0305−3150 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what QSO J0305−3150 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain QSO J0305−3150 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is QSO J0305−3150 in simple terms?

Why does QSO J0305−3150 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study QSO J0305−3150?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on QSO J0305−3150.