Observations of Supermassive Black Holes in the Early Universe
Who
Eduardo Bañados
Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
Where
DIPC seminar room
When
2-3 June 2026
9:45 – 15:30
Observations of Supermassive Black Holes in the Early Universe
Description
Every massive galaxy we know hosts a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at its centre, yet the formation and growth mechanisms remain unknown. Some of the strongest constraints on SMBH formation theories come from studying the most distant examples: we have found SMBHs rivalling the most massive ones in the local Universe (>1e9 solar masses) already within the first billon years after the Big Bang.
This two-day workshop reviews our current observational understanding of quasars and active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the first billion years of the Universe, known as the Epoch of Reionisation, tracing the dramatic evolution of the field from the first ground-based discoveries to the transformative era of JWST.
The course is structured as a series of lectures with ample time for discussion. Each afternoon is dedicated to student presentations and open Q&A. An optional session on writing competitive (JWST) proposals is offered at the end of Day 2, subject to time and interest.
The workshop is aimed at PhD students in astrophysics or physics. No prior expertise in high-redshift galaxies or AGN is assumed, though familiarity with basic concepts in extragalactic astronomy and cosmology is expected.
Prerequisites
Participants should have a working knowledge of: undergraduate-level cosmology (redshift, the expanding Universe, lookback time); basic concepts in stellar and galactic astrophysics; and familiarity with the electromagnetic spectrum as an observational tool. No prior knowledge of AGN, quasars, or reionisation is required.
Contents
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Introduction to SMBHs, AGN and Quasars. Historical overview of AGN and quasar phenomenology; accretion physics and the Eddington limit; black hole mass measurements; the M-sigma relation and black hole-galaxy co-evolution.
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Quasars in the first billion years: the pre-JWST picture. The high-redshift quasar census; photometric selection and spectral characteristics; the quasar luminosity function; quasar spectra as probes of the intergalactic medium; host galaxy observations. Jetted quasars and the blazar census puzzle; radio quasars as IGM probes and prospects for SKA.
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JWST insights into early quasars. What JWST does and does not do for high-redshift quasar science; black hole mass measurements with NIRSpec; overmassive black holes and the M-sigma offset at high redshift; host galaxy detections; post-starburst hosts; large-scale environments and the circumgalactic medium; little red dots and their relation to the luminous quasar population; future facilities.
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(Optional) Writing a strong JWST proposal. Scientific justification strategy; the APT and ETC tools; common mistakes; feasibility considerations.
Bibliography
Fan, X., Bañados, E. and Simcoe, R.A. (2023). Quasars and the Intergalactic Medium at Cosmic Dawn. Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 61, 373.
Bañados, E. (2026). Observations of Early Black Holes Before and After JWST. arXiv:2603.21976.
Time schedule
Day 1 (2nd of June) — Introduction to AGN and the pre-JWST quasar census
9:45 – 11:00 — Lecture 1: Introduction to SMBHs, AGN and Quasars
11:00 – 11:30 — Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00 — Lecture 2 Part A: Quasars in the first billion years (pre-JWST)
13:00 – 14:30 — Lunch
14:30 – 15:30 — Writing a strong JWST proposal
Day 2 (3rd of June) — Jetted quasars, the JWST revolution, and the future
9:45 – 11:15 — Lecture 2 Part B + Lecture 3 Part A
- Lecture 2 Part B: Jetted quasars
- Lecture 3 Part A: JWST — the central engine, host galaxies
11:15 – 11:45 — Coffee break
11:45 – 13:00 — Lecture 3 Part B: JWST — environments, LRDs, and the future
13:00 – 14:30 — Lunch
14:30 – 15:30 — Student presentations and discussion