A team of astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered one of the most distant and earliest star-killing supernovas ever seen. The blast, detected around 11.4 billion years ago in a massive early galaxy, marked the death of a stellar monster 20 times the mass of our sun.
The high-energy explosion could indicate that the properties of supernova explosions were different in the early universe. This finding is significant as it provides insight into the cosmic picture of stellar life and death being built by scientists. The discovery was made possible by the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program, which has spotted over 80 ancient supernovas.
The first stars were massive and hot, with truly gargantuan explosions that paved the way for the formation of heavier elements. These early supernovas played a crucial role in seeding clouds of hydrogen and helium with heavy elements, giving rise to subsequent generations of stars. The team’s research suggests that these early supernovas may have been more violent than later ones due to the metal-poor nature of their progenitor stars.
The discovery of AT 2023adsv is particularly exciting as it offers a glimpse into an environment that differs significantly from our own solar system. The chemical composition of this supernova indicates that it stands out as one of the earliest of its kind, with light traveling 6 billion years before the sun ever formed.
While more observations are needed to confirm the idea that supernovas were different in the early universe, this finding opens up new avenues for research and exploration. The JWST will continue to play a crucial role in uncovering the secrets of the cosmic past, and its successor, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, is set to launch in 2026 with the potential to locate thousands of early supernovas.
Source: https://www.space.com/James-Webb-Space-Telescope-earliest-distant-supernova