In
the early 1960's quasars were known as 'radio stars' because the method
used to discover the first quasars was based on coincidences between
a strong radio source and a point-like optical source. Since each
radio source was associated with a star it was originally thought
that quasars were objects within the galaxy hence the term 'radio
stars'.
Quasars
or quasi-stellar radio source, from the method by which they where
originally discovered : as stellar optical counterparts to small
regions of strong radio emission. With increasing spatial resolution
of radio telescopes the strong radio emission often seemed to come
from a pair of lobes surrounding many of these faint star-like emission
line objects.
The
method initial method of selection was strong radio emission, then
later any object with blue or ultraviolet excess was considered
a good quasar candidate. Very recent evidence from the near infrared
portion of the spectrum indicates that a large fraction of quasars
may in fact be brighter in the infrared than in other wavelength
bands.
Unfortunately,
due to an error in spectral identification made by Maarten Schmidt (1963) these quasars
were incorrectly classified as extra-galactic objects. In order
to distance themselves from the term 'radio stars' they nicknamed
these objects QUASARs for QUAsi StellAr Radio source (because the
only 'appeared' like stars). The subsequent discovery of emission
lines with little or no radio emission led to the modern term QSO
(or Quasi Stellar Object), again partly because they could not bring
themselves to consider them as stars within the galaxy.
However,
based on the extensive work of Y.P. Varshni it turns out quasars
were stars after all; they are laser stars within the galaxy. Hence
the similarities of the properties quasars such as Cygnus-A and
3C 345 with those of other objects within the galaxy like Eta Carinae,
MWC 349, NGC 7027, SS433 and Young Stellar Objects (YSO). In fact
their properties are so similar that two recent 'radio stars', GRS
1915-105 and GRO J1655-40 have been nicknamed 'mini-quasars' by
their discoverers.
Considering
this large amount of accumulating data on lasers associated with
confirmed radio stars within the galaxy, combined with the recent
discovery of 'Naked quasars' only adds fuel to the fire; it is high
time for the astronomical community to abandon the outdated and
obsolete quasar redshift interpretation.
A
recent post from a quasar astronomer sci.astro responding in a newsgroup
to concerns raised over the alarming similarities between the jets
of the 'radio star' GRS 1915+105 and quasar jets:
Some
quasars show superluminal sources, but just because an object shows
superluminal motion does not make it a quasar. In fact, I think
this is a cataclysmic binary, so it has an accretion disk, like
we think quasars do, but it is on a much smaller scale.
This
is a clearcut case of 'belief is stronger than reason'. He believes
so strongly that quasars are are extragalactic he immediately eliminates
the competition by claiming that it is ludicrous to compare quasars
with other objects confirmed within the galaxy. This comparison
is perfectly valid in a healthy scientific community commited to
impartial examination of all the evidence, without any prior bias
originating from a particular theoretical interpretation. Astrophysics
will progress when astronomers not brainwashed by the redshift myth
begin to open their eyes to this data.
In
other words he is claiming there are two physics involved here;
(1) The physics of ordinary stars and (2) The unusual physics of
quasars. This response is typical of staunch believers of a popular
religion: They don't see any conflict between their religion versus
the empirical sciences, they merely separate the two and all is
well. As long as the analytical methods of science are not used
to probe religious issues, which are matters of faith. This is a
pathological form of the Selection Effect, Belief has always been
stronger than reason. This division creates an unhealthy schizm
between the acceptable science of objects within the galaxy and
the 'amazing' extra-galactic world. Symptoms of range from the compartementalisation
of the various branches of astronomy to lack of communication between
galactic and extra-galactic astronomers.
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