NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) is revolutionizing our understanding of the origins of the universe by unraveling the mysteries surrounding the birth of the first stars and galaxies. At the forefront of this groundbreaking exploration is the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), a visionary program dedicated to unlocking the secrets of distant galaxies. Through JADES, Webb is shedding light on the cosmic enigma that has captivated astronomers for ages.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) is making strides in understanding one of astronomy’s fundamental questions: the birth of the universe’s first stars and galaxies. Spearheading these discoveries is the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), a program focused on unearthing distant galaxies’ secrets.
Star Formation in the Early Universe
Marcia Rieke of the University of Arizona, co-leader of the JADES program, aims to answer critical queries: How were the earliest galaxies formed? How quickly did star formation occur? Why did some galaxies cease forming stars? JADES has already identified hundreds of galaxies from when the universe was under 600 million years old, with many sparkling with young, hot stars.
Exploring Star Factories
Ryan Endsley of the University of Texas investigated galaxies present between 500 and 850 million years post-big bang, during the Epoch of Reionization. This period marked the universe’s transition from an opaque gaseous fog to a transparent state, a phenomenon known as reionization.
Reionization Riddles
The reionization process has long sparked debates among scientists: did active, supermassive black holes or galaxies bursting with hot, young stars lead to this transition? Webb’s NIRSpec instrument helped Endsley and his team search for signs of star formation, leading to the discovery of massive stars within these early galaxies.
Bursts of Star Formation in the Early Universe
Endsley’s team observed that these galaxies underwent sporadic periods of rapid star formation, interspersed with quieter phases. This pattern suggests that the formation of stars might be linked to the galaxies capturing clumps of gaseous raw materials, or to the energy released by massive star explosions preventing gas condensation.
The Dawn of Galaxies
Another component of JADES delves into the search for the universe’s earliest galaxies, existing less than 400 million years post-big bang. Through this investigation, astronomers are beginning to understand how star formation processes have evolved over time.
Redshift Revelations
Galactic redshift measurement is crucial for estimating a galaxy’s age and distance. Before Webb, only a few dozen were observed with a redshift above 8. However, JADES has discovered nearly a thousand extremely distant galaxies, exceeding initial predictions.
Unraveling Galactic Mysteries
Kevin Hainline and his team from the University of Arizona utilized Webb’s NIRCam to obtain photometric redshifts and identified over 700 galactic candidates. These observations reveal that star formation in the universe’s early stages is significantly more complex than initially believed, shedding light on the intricate structure of these primordial celestial bodies.
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