The European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope has discovered 31 of the most ancient quasars ever found [1].

These findings provide critical evidence regarding the formation of the first galaxies and super-massive black holes. Because quasars act as cosmic beacons, they allow astronomers to map the early conditions of the universe during its infancy [1, 3].

Among the 31 identified objects, two are the oldest ever observed [1]. These quasars shone when the universe was approximately 670 million years old [4], which represents only five percent of the current age of the universe [4].

The telescope's observations reveal a hidden population of these distant objects. These quasars are characterized by extreme luminosity, with some emitting light equivalent to a trillion Suns [4].

Euclid operates from orbit to survey the dark universe, and these specific observations were made in March 2026 [2, 4]. By identifying such ancient structures, the mission helps scientists understand how super-massive black holes grew so quickly after the Big Bang [1, 3].

The discovery of these 31 quasars marks a significant milestone for the European Space Agency. The data suggests that the early universe was more active in creating massive structures than previously understood [1, 3].

“Euclid has discovered 31 of the most ancient quasars ever found.”

The detection of quasars dating back to 5% of the universe's current age challenges existing models of galactic evolution. If super-massive black holes reached such immense sizes and luminosities within 670 million years, it suggests that early black hole growth was either more rapid or started from larger initial seeds than current astrophysical theories typically predict.