Astronomers Measure the Long Reach of a Quasar

There are a number of things in the Universe that could wipe out life as we know it, but — for now, and for Earth — a blast from our galaxy's supermassive black hole isn't one of them. That's not to say that Sagittarius A* doesn't pose a danger. If it wakes up someday and blasts out a strong wind, that definitely could affect Earth. It could well have powered a quasar in the past, and could do so again.