The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a joint venture between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency, has made a ground-breaking discovery. The Telescope has reportedly discovered six ‘Monster’ galaxies which were formed between 500-700 million years after the Big Bang.
The Cosmic Evolution Early 44 Release Science Programme
The JWST spotted these Monster galaxies through the Cosmic Evolution Early 44 Release Science programme. With this programme, researchers focus on studying the formation of the earliest galaxies at a time in the universe’s history when it was less than 5% its current age.
Exploiting the lensing capabilities of the JWST, the research team found these galaxies near the Big Dipper constellation, a well-documented asterism that was initially observed by the Hubble space telescope in the 1990s. The Big Dipper, located in Ursa Major or the Great Bear constellation, consists of seven bright stars. Four of these form a rectangular “bowl,” while the remaining three form a “handle.” This constellation is often used as a navigational tool, a reference point for stargazing, and as a symbol in popular culture.
Findings from the Monster Galaxies
The findings from this observation have challenged scientists’ understanding of galaxy formation. One of the galaxies, despite having the same mass as the Milky Way, was found to be 30 times smaller. This indicates large, mature but remarkably compact galaxies filled with stars existed much earlier than previously presumed.
The six large, mature galaxies are approximately as old as the Milky Way and exist around 540-770 million years following the Big Bang. At that time, the universe was estimated to be roughly 3% of its present age. Such early existence of galaxies contradicts our current comprehension of galaxy formation and evolution.
About James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
The JWST was launched in December 2021 as a result of international collaboration. The telescope is stationed at the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million km beyond Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
Lagrange Point 2 is one of the five points in the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system. These positions in space are unique because the gravitational forces of the two primary bodies (in this case, the Sun and the Earth) produce enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion.
JWST, with its advanced infrared capability, is the largest and most powerful telescope ever built. It has been dubbed the successor to the Hubble Telescope and can look ‘backwards in time’ to just after the Big Bang. By observing galaxies that are immensely far away, it studies the light that has taken billions of years to reach our telescopes.
Significance and Future Implications
The launch of the JWST and subsequent observations bring forth several unique features that make it superior to its predecessor – the space telescopes. It serves major goals like exploring the formations of the first galaxies, stars, and planetary systems. Additionally, it could also search for life on extrasolar planets. Overall, it holds massive potential for uncovering new scientific knowledge, which can widely benefit the human race.
For instance, the recent landmark discovery of the six Monster galaxies poses critical questions regarding the nature of the early universe and challenges the current understanding of galaxy formation. This could lead to new theories and discoveries about our universe’s history and evolution.
