NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a young galaxy dating back 600 million years after the Big Bang, providing astronomers with a glimpse into what our Milky Way may have looked like in its infancy. The galaxy, called Firefly Sparkle, is estimated to be about 10 million stars in size and is still in the process of assembling.
Located about 6,500 light-years from another nearby galaxy, Firefly Sparkle has two smaller galaxies as neighbors and is comprised of 10 densely packed star clusters embedded in a diffuse arc of stars. The main visible portion of the galaxy spans about 1,000 light-years across.
Firefly Sparkle’s discovery gives researchers a direct look at what galaxies like our Milky Way might have looked like in their early stages. Using simulations and statistical methods, scientists found that the galaxy’s mass is consistent with expectations for a Milky Way ancestor at that time.
The firefly-inspired name was chosen because the galaxy’s star clusters resemble bioluminescent bugs. The discovery provides new insights into how galaxies form and evolve over billions of years through mergers with other galaxies and continued star formation.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/science