The James Webb Space Telescope has shed light on AzTECC71, a previously undetectable galaxy, hidden from the Hubble Space Telescope’s view. This discovery, made by the COSMOS-Web collaboration, uncovers a dusty, star-forming galaxy dating back to the early universe. This suggests such galaxies might be more common than initially thought, offering new perspectives on the early universe and galaxy evolution.
AzTECC71 was first observed as an indistinct glow by ground-based telescopes and remained invisible to the Hubble Space Telescope. However, it has now been identified as a distinct galaxy by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
The COSMOS-Web collaboration has classified AzTECC71 as a dusty, star-forming galaxy from about 1 billion years post-Big Bang. Previously considered rare, these galaxies might be more prevalent, as indicated by over a dozen similar discoveries by the collaboration.
Jed McKinney, a postdoctoral researcher at The University of Texas at Austin, described AzTECC71 as a significant discovery. He noted that despite its appearance as a small blob, it’s forming numerous stars annually. This discovery, barely visible even in JWST’s sensitive imaging, hints at possibly many such hidden galaxies.
The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, come from the COSMOS-Web project, co-led by Caitlin Casey of UT Austin. This major JWST project aims to map up to 1 million galaxies in a sky area equivalent to three full moons, focusing on the universe’s earliest structures.
AzTECC71 is visible in the NIRCam instrument on the JWST, particularly in the reddest color filter, but not in the bluest filters.
The discovery of AzTECC71 highlights the JWST’s capability to observe dusty, star-forming galaxies that were previously invisible in optical light. These “Hubble-dark galaxies” are now observable in a new light, altering our understanding of the early universe’s galaxy evolution.
The comparison of images from Hubble and JWST reveals AzTECC71’s distinct visibility in JWST data.
The research team, including various contributors from UT Austin, was supported by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute. Their ongoing work aims to uncover more such JWST-faint galaxies, exploring the optical and infrared properties of these dust-enshrouded celestial bodies.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about James Webb Space Telescope discovery
What is the significance of the James Webb Space Telescope’s discovery of AzTECC71?
The discovery of AzTECC71 by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is significant because it reveals a dusty, star-forming galaxy from the early universe that was previously invisible to the Hubble Space Telescope. This finding challenges existing assumptions about the prevalence and nature of galaxies in the early universe and provides new insights into cosmic history and galaxy evolution.
How does the discovery of AzTECC71 change our understanding of the early universe?
The discovery of AzTECC71, along with other similar findings, suggests that dusty, star-forming galaxies were much more common in the early universe than previously believed. This indicates that the early universe was likely dustier and more active in star formation than earlier research suggested.
What was the role of the COSMOS-Web collaboration in this discovery?
The COSMOS-Web collaboration played a crucial role in identifying AzTECC71. They used the James Webb Space Telescope to detect the galaxy, which was once thought to be extremely rare in the early universe. Their research has led to the identification of more than a dozen additional candidates, suggesting a higher prevalence of such galaxies.
Who led the research project that discovered AzTECC71?
The COSMOS-Web project, which led to the discovery of AzTECC71, is co-led by Caitlin Casey, an associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin. The project is part of a large research initiative utilizing the James Webb Space Telescope to map up to 1 million galaxies.
What does the term “Hubble-dark galaxies” refer to in this context?
“Hubble-dark galaxies” refer to a category of galaxies that are difficult or impossible to detect with the Hubble Space Telescope due to their heavy dust content, which obscures their visibility in optical light. AzTECC71 is an example of such a galaxy, which has become observable with the advanced capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope.
More about James Webb Space Telescope discovery
- James Webb Space Telescope Overview
- COSMOS-Web Collaboration Details
- AzTECC71 Galaxy Discovery
- Early Universe Star Formation Research
- Hubble Space Telescope Comparison
- Astronomical Research and Findings
- Galaxy Evolution Studies
- The Astrophysical Journal Publication
- UT Austin Astronomy Research
- NASA Space Telescope Science Institute Grants
