Scientists have discovered a galaxy that defies our understanding of the early universe, revealing that the Era of Reionization may have occurred much earlier than previously thought. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers observed an ancient galaxy known as JADES-GS-z13-1, which is 330 million years old and shines through the fog of the early universe.
The discovery was unexpected, as scientists didn’t expect to find a galaxy with clear ultraviolet light at such an early age. The Lyman-alpha emission, produced by hydrogen, revealed that the galaxy must have ionized enough of the surrounding hydrogen gas to allow UV light to escape. This finding has significant implications for understanding the universe’s evolution.
The ancient galaxy is so far from Earth that we’re observing it as it appeared 330 million years after the Big Bang. The James Webb Space Telescope detected bright ultraviolet light, which was later stretched into the infrared region due to the universe’s expansion.
Researchers are still unsure what produced the Lyman-alpha radiation in JADES-GS-z13-1, with possibilities including extremely hot and massive early stars or an early supermassive black hole. The discovery has huge ramifications for how and when the universe reionized.
This finding highlights the need to revise our understanding of the early universe’s evolution and the formation of galaxies. As one researcher noted, “We really shouldn’t have found a galaxy like this, given our understanding of the way the universe has evolved.”
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/totally-unexpected-galaxy-discovered-by-james-webb-telescope-defies-our-understanding-of-the-early-universe