A Quarter Century of AGN Discoveries through the Eyes of Chandra

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are powered by accretion onto supermassive black holes that reside at the centers of galaxies. In addition to serving as signposts of black hole growth across the Universe, the enormous energy output from AGN shape their galactic environments. The combination of Chandra’s X-ray sensitivity and angular resolution is paramount for learning about AGN physics and the impact AGN have on their surroundings. These capabilities enable Chandra to resolve X-ray jets on kiloparsec scales and extranuclear X-ray emission spanning tens of parsecs in nearby AGN host galaxies. Surveys with Chandra from the dawn of the mission to the present day reveal the cosmic growth history of supermassive black holes. Chandra’s legacy will continue in the coming years as its unique capabilities provide incredible synergy with JWST and other multiwavelength and multimessenger observatories to unlock the mysteries of black hole and galaxy co-evolution.