The most distant star ever discovered, Earendel, may not actually be a single star but a compact star cluster. New research using the James Webb Space Telescope suggests that Earendel’s spectral features match those of globular clusters, a type of star cluster found in our local universe.
Earendel was thought to be a star that formed 900 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was just 7% of its current age. However, astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to take a fresh look at Earendel and explore the possibility that it might not be a single star or binary system as previously thought.
The study found that Earendel’s spectral features match those of globular clusters, which are typically found in our local universe. The researchers also analyzed the object using data from JWST’s Near Infrared Imager (NIRCam) and spectroscopic data from JWST’s NIRSpec instruments.
While the new data suggests that Earendel could be a star cluster, it is not enough to confirm this classification. The researchers acknowledge that there are other possible explanations for Earendel’s nature, such as being a single star or multiple star system.
To solve Earendel’s mystery, the team plans to monitor microlensing effects, which can provide more information about an object’s size and nature. Future JWST programs will be essential in further demystifying the nature of Earendel.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/oops-earendel-most-distant-star-ever-discovered-may-not-actually-be-a-star-james-webb-telescope-reveals