The ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D) has released new findings about the early universe that challenge current theories. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, an international research team observed an ancient galaxy merger and discovered rapid, efficient star formation.
The team found that galaxies and stars developed faster after the Big Bang than expected. Observations of one of the very first galaxies also revealed that its growth was much quicker than previously believed. The research team also found that these early galaxies were able to accumulate mass quickly through merging.
Dr. Kit Boyett, an ASTRO 3D Research Fellow, said that their observations showed a ten-times more massive galaxy than any other found that early in the universe. He also suggested that cosmology theories are not necessarily wrong, but they might need revision to explain the fast formation and large size of these early galaxies.
Additionally, the team discovered two populations of stars within the merging galaxies. The older stars were present before the merger, while the new stars were formed due to the merging galaxies.
Dr. Boyett stated that these findings might require changes in our current models to understand the early universe better.
Vocabulary List:
- Astrophysics (noun): Branch of astronomy that deals with the physical properties and nature of celestial bodies.
- Merger (noun): The act of merging or combining things into one.
- Formation (noun): The process of being formed or created.
- Accumulate (verb): To gather or collect over time.
- Cosmology (noun): The study of the originevolutionand eventual fate of the universe.
- Population (noun): All the inhabitants of a particular townareaor country.
