2023-12-15 13:00:00
This discovery by the James Webb telescope had already been seen by the Hubble telescope. Joana Campos Meteored Portugal 15/12/2023 14:00 6 min
A new image published by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) shows a massive, dusty galaxy that produces hundreds of stars per year, challenging previous assumptions regarding the rarity of such nurseries in the early Universe. Artist impressions depict AzTECC71 as a ghostly entity, suggesting potential changes in scientists’ understanding of the prevalence of star formation.
AzTECC71: galaxy made of dust challenges the early Universe
Astronomers from the collaboration COSMOS-Web have identified AzTECC71, a galaxy made up of star-forming dust that develops many stars, but its visibility is hampered by a veil of dust. It might have been formed almost a billion years following the Big Bang.
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Although such galaxies were thought to be rare in the early Universe, this discovery, along with more than a dozen other candidates, defies previous assumptions, suggesting they might be between three and 10 times more common than previously thought.
Described as a “real monster” by Jed McKinney, a postdoctoral researcher at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, AzTECC71 forms hundreds of stars annually, offering potential insights into a hidden population of galaxies.
If confirmed, this conclusion might imply that the early Universe contained much more dust than initially thought. The COSMOS-Web project, co-led by Caitlin Casey, associate professor at UT, aims to map up to 1 million galaxies in a patch of sky the size of three full moons.
The James Webb Space Telescope has rediscovered AzTECC71, a faint galaxy that had eluded Hubble, and reveals that it is busy forming many stars. Wrapped in a veil of dust that prevents light from passing through and is almost impossible to see through.
1/Conceptual image. pic.twitter.com/12fLcZyiJc
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With the aim of studying the first structures of the Universe, the team, made up of more than 50 researchers, received 250 hours of observation time during the first year of JWST, receiving the first batch of data in December 2022, with more data planned through January 2024.
Dusty star-forming galaxies, such as AzTECC71, are difficult to observe in optical light due to absorption and re-emission of dust at longer wavelengths. Before JWST, these galaxies were referred to as the “hubble dark galaxies”. McKinney points out the bias in understanding the evolutionary history of galaxies because previous observations were limited to unobscured, less dusty galaxies
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AzTECC71 was initially detected as a dust emitting spot by the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii, and later confirmed with data from the ALMA Telescope in Chile. JWST observations at a wavelength of 4.44 microns revealed a faint galaxy in the same location, highlighting the power of the new telescope to discover previously invisible cosmic objects.
JWST galactic revelations reveal cosmic dust
Dusty galaxies, often elusive in optical observations due to absorption and re-emission of dust, are now within range thanks to JWST and its advanced infrared capabilities.
This powerful telescope can pass through dense veils of dust, allowing scientists to study the properties of these heavily obscured galaxies, both in the optical spectrum and in the infrared. The sensitivity of JWST not only extends our gaze to the farthest corners of the Universe, but also reveals the mysteries hidden behind thick layers of cosmic dust.
While until now no telescope might see beyond cosmic dust, the JWST is capable of making observations in both the optical spectrum and the infrared.
The research team, led by astronomers McKinney and Casey of UT Austin, aims to explore and understand the nature of these dusty galaxies. With the ability of JWST to penetrate through dust, the team can delve deeper into the details of the formation and evolution of these galaxies, providing valuable information regarding a previously hidden population of cosmic objects.
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This marks significant progress in our observational capabilities, allowing us to unlock the secrets of galaxies that were once shrouded in cosmic dust, expanding our understanding of the beginning of the Universe.
Article reference:
McKinney J., Manning S., Cooper O., et al. A Near-infrared-faint, Far-infrared-luminous Dusty Galaxy at z ∼ 5 in COSMOS-Web. The Astrophysical Journal (2023).
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