This article contains lists of quasars. More than a million quasars have been observed, so any list on Wikipedia is necessarily a selection of them.
Proper naming of quasars is by Catalogue Entry, Qxxxx±yy using B1950 coordinates, or QSO Jxxxx±yyyy using J2000 coordinates. They may also use the prefix QSR. There are currently no quasars that are visible to the naked eye.
List of quasars
This is a list of exceptional quasars for characteristics otherwise not separately listed
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Quasar
! Notes
|-
| Twin Quasar
| Associated with a possible planet microlensing event in the gravitational lens galaxy that is doubling the Twin Quasar's image.
|-
| QSR J1819+3845
| Proved interstellar scintillation due to the interstellar medium.
|-
| CTA-102
| In 1965, Soviet astronomer Nikolai S. Kardashev posited that this quasar could be the source of signals from an alien civilization.
|-
| CID-42
| Its supermassive black hole is being ejected and will one day become a displaced quasar.
|-
| TON 618
| TON 618 is a very distant and extremely luminous quasar—technically, a hyperluminous, broad-absorption line, radio-loud quasar—located near the North Galactic Pole in the constellation Canes Venatici.
|}
List of named quasars
This is a list of quasars, with a common name, instead of a designation from a survey, catalogue or list.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Quasar
! Origin of name
! Notes
|-
| Twin Quasar
| From the fact that two images of the same quasar are produced by gravitational lensing.
|
|-
| Einstein Cross
| From the fact that gravitational lensing of the quasar forms a near perfect Einstein cross, a concept in gravitational lensing.
|
|-
|
| From the fact that there are three bright images of the same gravitationally lensed quasar.
| There are actually four images; the fourth is faint.
|-
| Cloverleaf
| From its appearance having similarity to the leaf of a clover. It has been gravitationally lensed into four images, of roughly similar appearance.
|
|-
|Teacup Galaxy
|The name comes from the shape of the extended emission, which is shaped like the handle of a teacup. The handle is a bubble shaped by quasar winds or small-scale radio jets.
|Low redshift, highly obscured type 2 quasar.
|-
|Pōniuāʻena
|The third most distant quasar known as of 2025, named for its early formation at most 100 million years after the Big Bang.
|Named as part of the A Hua He Inoa program by the ʻImiloa Astronomy Center.
|-
|}
List of multiply imaged quasars
This is a list of quasars that as a result of gravitational lensing appear as multiple images on Earth.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Quasar
! Images
! Lens
! Notes
|-
| Twin Quasar
| 2
| YGKOW G1
| First gravitationally lensed object discovered <br/>
|-
| Triple Quasar (PG 1115+080)
| 4
|
| Originally discovered as 3 lensed images, the fourth image is faint. It was the second gravitationally lensed quasar discovered.
|-
| Einstein Cross
| 4
| Huchra's Lens
| First Einstein Cross discovered
|-
| RX J1131-1231's quasar
| 4
| RX J1131-1231's elliptical galaxy
| RX J1131-1231 is the name of the complex, quasar, host galaxy and lensing galaxy, together. The quasar's host galaxy is also lensed into a Chwolson ring about the lensing galaxy. The four images of the quasar are embedded in the ring image.
|-
| Cloverleaf
| 4
|
| Brightest known high-redshift source of CO emission
|-
| QSO B1359+154
| 6
| CLASS B1359+154 and three more galaxies
| First sextuply-imaged galaxy
|-
| SDSS J1004+4112
| 5
| Galaxy cluster at z = 0.68
| First quasar discovered to be multiply image-lensed by a galaxy cluster and currently the third largest quasar lens with the separation between images of 15
|-
| SDSS J1029+2623
| 3
| Galaxy cluster at z = 0.6
| The current largest-separation quasar lens with 22.6 separation between furthest images
|-
| SDSS J2222+2745
| 6 Third quasar discovered to be lensed by a galaxy cluster.
|-
|RX J0911.4+0551
|4
|Galaxy located at z = 0.76
|Gravitationally lensed object discovered by the ROSAT All-Sky survey in 1997. Quasar located at z = 2.800.
|-
|CLASS B1152+199
|2
|Galaxy located at z = 0.43
|
|-
|HE 1104-1805
|2
|Galaxy located at z = 0.72
|Also known as Double Hamburger.
|-
|HE 2149-2745
|2
|Galaxy at z = 0.60
|Gravitationally lensed broad absorption object (BAL) at z = 2.033
|-
|FBQ 0951+2635
|2
|Galaxy located at z = 0.26
|Quasar located at z = 1.689. Components arranged in cross figuration.
|-
|SBS 0909+532
|2
|Lens galaxy of SBS 0909+532 at z = 0.83
|Originally interpreted as a binary quasar but later revealed as a gravitationally lensed object.
|-
|UM 673
|2
|Lens galaxy at z = 0.49
|-
|CTQ 327
|2
|Lens galaxy between z = 0.4 and z= 0.6
|
|-
|CTQ 414
|2
|
|Discovered in 1999. Quasar located at z = 1.29.
|-
|HE 0230-2130
|5
|
|Complex lensed system. Quasar located at z = 2.130.
|-
|SDSS J1001+5027
|2
|Lens galaxy at z = 0.3
|
|-
|SDSS J1206+4332
|2
|Lens galaxy at z = 0.74
|Discovered by Scott Burles (2005).
|
|Discovered in the SDSS Quasar Lens Search (2010)
|Lens galaxy at z = 0.513
|-
| QSO 1146+111
| 8
|
|-
|colspan=3|<small>z represents redshift, a measure of recessional velocity and inferred distance due to cosmological expansion</small>
|}
List of physical quasar groups
This is a list of binary quasars, trinary quasars, and the like, where quasars are physically close to each other.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Quasars
! Count
! Notes
|-
| quasars of SDSS J0841+3921 protocluster
| 4
| First quasar quartet discovered.
|-
| LBQS 1429-008 (QQQ 1432-0106)
| 3
| First quasar triplet discovered. <br/> It was first discovered as a binary quasar, before the third quasar was found.
|-
| QQ2345+007 (Q2345+007)
:Q2345+007A
:Q2345+007B
| 2
| Originally thought to be a doubly imaged quasar, but actually a quasar couplet.
|-
| QQQ J1519+0627
| 3
|
|-
|}
Large Quasar Groups
Large quasar groups (LQGs) are bound to a filament of mass, and not directly bound to each other.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! LQG
! Count
! Notes
|-
| Webster LQG <br/> (LQG 1)
| 5
| First LQG discovered. At the time of its discovery, it was the largest structure known.
|-
|-
| Huge-LQG <br/> (U1.27)
| 73
| The largest structure known in the observable universe, as of 2013.
|-
|}
List of quasars with apparent superluminal jet motion
This is a list of quasars with jets that appear to be superluminal due to relativistic effects and line-of-sight orientation. Such quasars are sometimes referred to as superluminal quasars.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Quasar
! Superluminality
! Notes
|-
| 3C 279
| 4c
| First quasar discovered with superluminal jets
|-
| 3C 179
| 7.6c
| Fifth discovered, first with double lobes
|-
| 3C 273
|
| This is also the first quasar ever identified
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| 3C 216
|
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|-
| 3C 345
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|-
| 3C 380
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|-
| 4C 69.21 <br/> (Q1642+690, QSO B1642+690)
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|
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|4C 39.25
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|-
|4C 38.41
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|-
| 8C 1928+738 <br/> (Q1928+738, QSO J1927+73, Quasar J192748.6+735802)
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|-
| PKS 0637-752
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|
|-
|}
Quasars that have a recessional velocity greater than the speed of light (c) are very common. Any quasar with z > 1 is receding faster than c, while z exactly equal to 1 indicates recession at the speed of light.
|-
| First host galaxy of a quasar discovered
| 3C 48
| 1982
|
|
|-
| First quasar found to seemingly not have a host galaxy
| HE0450-2958 (Naked Quasar)
| 2005
|
| Some disputed observations suggest a host galaxy, others do not.
|-
| First multi-core quasar
| PG 1302-102
| 2014
| Binary supermassive black holes within the quasar
|
|-
| First quasar containing a recoiling supermassive black hole
| SDSS J0927+2943
| 2008
|
| Two optical emission line systems separated by 2650 km/s
|-
| First gravitationally lensed quasar identified
| Twin Quasar
| 1979
| Lensed into 2 images
| The lens is a galaxy known as YGKOW G1
|-
| First quasar found with a jet with apparent superluminal motion
| 3C 279
| 1971
|
|
|-
| First "dustless" quasar found
| QSO J0303-0019 and QSO J0005-0006
| 2010
|
|
|-
| First Large Quasar Group discovered
| Webster LQG <br/> (LQG 1)
| 1982
|
|
|-
| Most distant blazar quasar
| PSO J0309+27
| z > 6
|
|-
| Least distant
| Markarian 231<!-- 3C273 -->
| 600 Mly <!-- z = 0.158 -->
| inactive: IC 2497
|-
| Largest Large Quasar Group
| Huge-LQG (U1.27)
| 73 quasars
|
|}
First quasars found
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+ First 10 Quasars Identified
|-
! Rank
! Quasar
! Date of discovery
! Notes
|-
| 1
| 3C 273
| 1963
|
|-
| 5
| 3C 287
| 1965
|
In cosmic scales distance is usually indicated by redshift (denoted by z) which is a measure of recessional velocity and inferred distance due to cosmological expansion.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+ Quasars with z > 6
<!-- 10 Most Distant -->
|-
! Quasar
! Distance
! Notes
|-
|UHZ1
|z = 10.1
|Most distant quasar known
|-
| ULAS J1120+0641 <br/> (ULAS J112001.48+064124.3)
| z = 7.085
| Former most distant quasar. First quasar with z > 7.
|-
|HSC J235646.33+001747.3
|z = 7.01
|
|-
|DES J025216.64-050331.8
|z = 7.00
|
|-
| CHFQS J2348-3054 <br/> (CHFQS J234833.34-305410.0)
| z = 6.90
|
|-
| PSO J172.3556+18.7734
|z = 6.82
|Currently the most distant radio-loud known quasar
|-
|HSC J135012.04-002705.2
|z = 6.49
|
|-
| CFHQS J0033-0125 <br/> (CFHQS J003311-012524)
| z = 6.13
|
|-
| SDSS J160253.98+422824.9 <br/> (QSO J1602+4228)
| z = 6.07
|
|-
| QSO J0313−1806
| 2021–2023
| z = 7.64
|
|-
| ULAS J1120+0641
| 2011–2017
| z = 7.085
| Not the most distant object when discovered. First quasar with z > 7.
|-
| CFHQS J2329-0301 <br/> (CFHQS J232908-030158)
| 2007–2011
| z = 6.43
| Not the most distant object when discovered. It did not exceed IOK-1 (z = 6.96), which was discovered in 2006.
|-
| SDSS J114816.64+525150.3 <br/> (SDSS J1148+5251)
| 2003–2007
| z = 6.419
| Not the most distant object when discovered. It did not exceed HCM 6A galaxy lensed by Abell 370 at z = 6.56, discovered in 2002. Also discovered around the time of discovery was a new most distant galaxy, SDF J132418.3+271455 at z = 6.58.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| SDSS J1030+0524 <br/> (SDSSp J103027.10+052455.0)
| 2001–2003
| z = 6.28
| Most distant object when discovered. First object with z > 6.
|-
| RD300 <br/> (RD J030117+002025)
| 2000
| z = 5.50
| Not the most distant object when discovered. It did not surpass galaxy SSA22-HCM1 (z = 5.74; discovered in 1999).
|-
| SDSSp J033829.31+002156.3 <br/> (QSO J0338+0021)
| 1998–2000
| z = 5.00
| First quasar discovered with z > 5. Not the most distant object when discovered. It did not surpass galaxy BR1202-0725 LAE (z = 5.64; discovered earlier in 1998).
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| PC 1247+3406
| 1991–1998
| z = 4.897
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| PC 1158+4635
| 1989–1991
| z = 4.73
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| Q0051-279
| 1987–1989
| z = 4.43
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| Q0000-26 <br/> (QSO B0000-26)
| 1987
| z = 4.11
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| PC 0910+5625 <br/> (QSO B0910+5625)
| 1987
| z = 4.04
| Most distant object when discovered; second quasar with z > 4.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| Q0046–293 <br/> (QSO J0048-2903)
| 1987
| z = 4.01
| Most distant object when discovered; first quasar with z > 4.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| Q1208+1011 <br/> (QSO B1208+1011)
| 1986–1987
| z = 3.80
| Most distant object when discovered and a gravitationally-lensed double-image quasar. From the time of discovery to 1991, had the least angular separation between images, 0.45.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| PKS 2000-330 <br/> (QSO J2003-3251, Q2000-330)
| 1982–1986
| z = 3.78
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| OQ172 <br/> (QSO B1442+101)
| 1974–1982
| z = 3.53
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| 4C 05.34
| 1970–1973
| z = 2.877
| Most distant object when discovered. The redshift was so much greater than the previous record that it was believed to be erroneous, or spurious.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| PKS 0237-23 <br/> (QSO B0237-2321)
| 1967–1968
| z = 2.225
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| 4C 12.39 <br/> (Q1116+12, PKS 1116+12)
| 1966–1967
| z = 2.1291
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| 4C 01.02 <br/> (Q0106+01, PKS 0106+1)
| 1965–1966
| z = 2.0990
| Most distant object when discovered.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| 3C 9
| 1965
| z = 2.018
| Most distant object when discovered; first quasar with z > 2.
|- style="background:#c0e0c0;" <!-- also most remote object -->
| 3C 147
| 1964–1965
| z = 0.545
| First quasar to become the most distant object in the universe, beating radio galaxy 3C 295.
|-
| 3C 48
| 1963–1964
| z = 0.367
| Second quasar redshift measured. Redshift was discovered after publication of 3C273's results prompted researchers to re-examine spectroscopic data. Not the most distant object when discovered. The radio galaxy 3C 295 was found in 1960 with z = 0.461.
|-
|}
Most powerful quasars
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+ 10 most luminous quasars
! Rank
! Quasar
! Data
! Refs.
|-
| 1
| SMSS J215728.21-360215.1
| Intrinsic bolometric luminosity of ~ 6.9 × 10<sup>14</sup> Suns or ~ 2.6 × 10<sup>41</sup> watts
|
|-
| 2
| HS 1946+7658
| Intrinsic bolometric luminosity in excess of 10<sup>14</sup> Suns or 10<sup>41</sup> watts
|
|-
| 3
| SDSS J155152.46+191104.0
|Luminosity of over 10<sup>41</sup> watts
|
|-
| 4
| HS 1700+6416
| Luminosity of over 10<sup>41</sup> watts
|
|-
| 5
| SDSS J010013.02+280225.8
| Luminosity of around 1.62 × 10<sup>41</sup> watts
|
|-
| 6
| SBS 1425+606
| Luminosity of over 10<sup>41</sup> watts – optically brightest for z>3
|
|-
|
|J1144-4308
|Luminosity of 4.7 × 10 watts or M_i(z=2) = −29.74 mag, optically brightest in last 9 Gyr
|
|-
|
| SDSS J074521.78+473436.2
|
|
|-
|
| S5 0014+813
|
|
|-
|
| SDSS J160455.39+381201.6
| z = 2.51, M(i) = 15.84
|
|-
|
| SDSS J085543.40-001517.7
|
|
|-
|}
See also
- List of microquasars
- Lists of astronomical objects
- List of galaxies
- List of black holes
References
External links
- Interactive interface into the catalog of Quasars from the Sloane Digital Sky Survey
- Catalogue of Bright Quasars and BL Lacertae Objects
- Kitt Peak Quasar List (1975) VII/11
- Revised and Updated Catalog of Quasi-stellar Objects (1993) VII/158