NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered the earliest-known galaxy which is unexpectedly bright and large for its age.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) finds most distant known Galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0

They used JWST for observations as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program.

• JADES-GS-z14-0 was first seen using JWST’s NIRCam, a powerful camera that captures near-infrared light.
• NIRSpec: Confirmed extreme distance (high redshift).
• MIRI: Provided more details and confirmed vast distance.

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About Galaxy

It is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter bound by gravity.

Variety and Size

• Star Count: Average galaxy contains about 100 million stars.
• Size Range: From dwarf galaxies with less than a thousand stars to supergiant galaxies with up to one hundred trillion stars.
• Dark Matter: Most of a galaxy’s mass is dark matter; stars and nebulae make up only a small percentage.
• Central Features-  Supermassive Black Holes: Commonly found at the centers of galaxies.

Classification

Galaxies are categorized by shape:

• Elliptical
• Spiral (e.g., Milky Way)
• Irregular

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About  Galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0

• It is the most distant known galaxy from Earth.
• Formation: JADES-GS-z14-0 was formed approximately 290 million years after the Big Bang.
  • Previously, the earliest-known galaxy was dated to 320 million years post-Big Bang.

Characteristics of Galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0

• Unique Properties: The galaxy contains young stars and significant ionized gas emission.
• Size: Measures about 1,700 light-years across.
  • A light year is 9.5 trillion kilometers.
• Mass: Equivalent to 500 million stars the size of the Sun.

Findings of Galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0

• Strong ionized gas emissions: Researchers found evidence of strong ionized gas emissions (including hydrogen and oxygen) within the galaxy.
  • The presence of oxygen suggests that multiple generations of massive stars had already lived their lives before observing the galaxy.

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Significance of the discovery of Galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0

• Challenges previous Theories: This galaxy’s size and brightness don’t fit with existing ideas of how early galaxies formed. 
  • It suggests the process might be more surprising and complex.
• New Insights into Early Universe: Studying JADES-GS-z14-0 helps  understand the formation and evolution of galaxies in the early universe.
  • It provides insights into the conditions of the universe shortly after the Big Bang.
• Milestone in Cosmology: This discovery is a major breakthrough in our study of the universe’s early history.

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