NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a groundbreaking discovery in the early universe, unveiling a galaxy so massive that it challenges existing models of cosmology.
Named ZF-UDS-7329, this galaxy emerged a mere 800 million years after the universe’s inception, yet it harbors more stars than our own Milky Way galaxy, as reported by Live Science.
The presence of such an enormous galaxy at such an early cosmic juncture contradicts conventional theories of galaxy formation, which propose that galaxies rely on dark matter to coalesce and evolve.
Claudia Lagos, co-author of the study and associate professor of astronomy at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, expressed astonishment at the findings, stating, “Having these extremely massive galaxies so early in the universe is posing significant challenges to our standard model of cosmology.” Lagos noted the absence of massive dark matter structures typically presumed necessary for holding early galaxies together at this nascent stage.
Utilizing the JWST’s advanced capabilities, scientists were able to detect ZF-UDS-7329, leveraging the telescope’s ability to peer deeper into the cosmos and witness events farther back in time.
Analysis of the galaxy’s light spectra revealed that its stars formed approximately 13 billion years ago, predating the observations by 1.5 billion years. This timeline suggests that the formation of galaxies commenced gradually within the first few hundred million years following the Big Bang.
According to prevailing theories, the earliest galaxies were born from the combination of gas and dark matter halos—an elusive substance constituting a significant portion of the universe. These protogalaxies evolved into dwarf galaxies, eventually merging and growing into larger structures akin to the Milky Way over billions of years.
The discovery of ZF-UDS-7329 not only expands our understanding of early galaxy formation but also prompts a reevaluation of cosmological models, compelling scientists to reconsider the fundamental mechanisms driving the evolution of the cosmos.
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