Euclid Telescope Unveils 31 Ancient Quasars, Doubling Early-Universe Sample

On 6 July 2026 the European Space Agency announced that the Euclid observatory has identified 31 quasars dating to when the universe was only about 5 % of its present age. The haul “roughly doubles the number known from that early stretch of the universe,” providing a concentrated sample of the brightest galaxy cores from the first billion years after the Big Bang.

In July 2026, Europe's Euclid telescope found 31 of the oldest quasars ever seen, two now shining with the light of a trillion suns when the cosmos was just 5 percent of its present age — their glow 1The Cool Down

Among the new finds, two quasars set a new age record. The objects—EUCL J172902.75+641018.1 (redshift 7.77) and EUCL J125308.55+705432.3 (redshift 7.69)—are seen as they were roughly 670 million years after the universe began, more than 13 billion light-years away. Each emitted light comparable to “about a trillion suns,” making them the most luminous and earliest quasars yet observed.

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The expanded catalog offers a “new window onto the early universe,” allowing astronomers to probe how supermassive black holes grew so rapidly in the cosmic dawn. Researchers plan follow-up observations with other facilities to estimate black-hole masses, examine surrounding material, and refine models of early galaxy formation. Euclid, still early in its mission, is expected to continue scanning the sky, potentially uncovering additional distant objects and completing a more detailed map of the universe’s first structures.

The Cool DownIn July 2026, Europe's Euclid telescope found 31 of the oldest quasars ever seen, two now shining with the light of a trillion suns when the cosmos was just 5 percent of its present age — their glow 1

ESA’s release highlighted Euclid’s primary purpose—mapping large-scale cosmic structure—to underscore how the mission is already delivering unexpected insights into early galaxy evolution. The discovery paper, titled “Euclid: Discovery of 31 new quasars at 6.6…,” was published in *Astronomy & Astrophysics* on the same day as the announcement.

In July 2026, Europe's Euclid telescope found 31 of the oldest quasars ever seen, two now shining with the light of a trillion suns when the cosmos was just 5 percent of its present age — their glow 1

• “Europe’s Euclid telescope has found 31 of the oldest known quasars in one go, and the haul roughly doubles the number known from that early stretch of the universe.” — *The Cooldown*

In July 2026, Europe's Euclid telescope found 31 of the oldest quasars ever seen, two now shining with the light of a trillion suns when the cosmos was just 5 percent of its present age — their glow 1

• “The oldest two were emitting light comparable to that of about a trillion suns.” — *The Cooldown*

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• “org, the two oldest of these objects are being seen as they were about 670 million years after the universe began, when it had reached only around 5% of its current age.” — *The Cooldown*

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• “Finding 31 ancient quasars in a single sweep is a major result for Euclid, a telescope designed to study the large-scale structure of the universe and help scientists better understand how it evolved.” — *The Cooldown*

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