Astrophysical object
Blazar
Cosmology & UniverseEstablished Science
Definition
An active galactic nucleus whose relativistic jet points almost directly at Earth.
Scientific overview
A blazar is an active galaxy in which a jet of near-light-speed particles from the central black hole is aimed nearly at us, producing extreme, rapidly varying brightness across the spectrum — and, in some cases, high-energy neutrinos.
Related topics
Knowledge connections
- Related toQuasar
- Related toActive Galactic Nucleus
- Related toQuasar
- Related toSupermassive Black Hole
- Related toActive Galactic Nucleus
- Associated withBL Lac Object
- Associated withThe Unified AGN Model
- Associated withRelativistic Jet
Sources & references
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.