A Quasar Portrait Gallery . ... Wales ), NASA Explanation: QUASARs (QUASi-stellAR objects) lie near the edge of the observable Universe . Discovered in 1963 , astronomers were astounded - to be visible at such extreme distances of billions of light-years they must emit prodigious amounts of energy. Where does the energy come from? Many believe the quasar's central engine is a giant black hole fueled by tremendous amounts of infalling gas, dust, and stars. ... NASA Official: Jay Norris. ...