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Early galaxy seen by JWST contains giant young stars and supernovae

The light signature from GLASS-z12, one of the most distant galaxies we have ever seen, suggests some of its stars have already exploded as supernovae

By Jonathan O’Callaghan

28 March 2024

 

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GLASS-z12, a very early galaxy viewed by the James Webb Space Telescope

Naidu et al, P. Oesch, T. Treu, GLASS-JWST, NASA/CSA/ESA/STScI

Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to reveal extraordinary details about a galaxy in the early universe, seen as it was just 360 million years after the big bang.

Since JWST launched, it has been finding galaxies that are so distant the light now reaching us from them was emitted during the early life of the cosmos. These galaxies have been more numerous and appear brighter than expected, suggesting there is something missing in our…

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