Scientists Uncover Ancient 'Inactive' Galaxy in the Far Reaches of the Universe
A recent finding reveals the presence of an ancient galaxy labeled JADES-GS-z7-01-QU, which emerged roughly 700 million years post the big bang but encountered a mysterious halt to its star-forming activities.
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A team of astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope has discovered the oldest "dead" galaxy ever observed. This discovery provides one of the deepest views into the distant universe made with the observatory to date.
The galaxy was formed when the universe was only 700 million years old, out of its current age of 13.8 billion years. However, something caused the galaxy to stop forming stars almost as fast as it started over 13 billion years ago, and researchers are still trying to figure out why.
A report about this discovery was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. By studying this galaxy, scientists hope to gain a better understanding of the early universe and what influences star formation in galaxies.
"The early universe was a bustling time, as gas clouds collapsed to create new stars," explained Tobias Looser, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in extragalactic astrophysics at the University of Cambridge’s Kavli Institute for Cosmology. "To form new stars, galaxies require a plentiful source of gas, and in the early universe, it was abundant like a never-ending buffet."
This Webb image shows a densely populated spiral galaxy anchored by a central region that has a light blue haze, known NGC 628. It's 32 million light-years away in the constellation Pisces.
This image taken by the Webb telescope displays a spiral galaxy with a high population density. The central region of the galaxy is characterized by a light blue haze, identified as NGC 628. This galaxy is located 32 million light-years away in the constellation Pisces. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, J. Lee (STScI), T. Williams (Oxford), PHANGS Team.
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The research team made an unexpected discovery of a galaxy that was thought to be inactive but actually had a short-lived existence, forming and fading shortly after the universe was created in the big bang.
“It’s not common to see galaxies stop producing stars so early in the universe, usually it happens later due to factors like black holes,” explained Dr. Francesco D’Eugenio, an astrophysicist and postdoctoral researcher at the Kavli Institute for Cosmology.
What causes galaxies to die
Star formation ceases when environmental factors starve a galaxy of the gas needed to seed the birth of new stars.
Supermassive black holes or violent interactions among stars can cause gas to be ejected from galaxies, abruptly stopping the formation of new stars. Alternatively, the process of star birth can deplete so much gas that there is not enough time for it to be replenished, hindering future star formation.
According to study coauthor Roberto Maiolino, a professor of experimental astrophysics at the Cavendish Laboratory and the Kavli Institute for Cosmology at the University of Cambridge, it remains uncertain whether any of these scenarios can fully explain the recent observations made with Webb.
"Until now, our understanding of the early universe has relied on models that were developed based on the modern universe. However, with the ability to now look back much further in time and observe how star formation in a galaxy was abruptly halted, it may be necessary to reexamine these models," Maiolino explained.
The James Webb Space Telescope's shot of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A shows elaborate details visible for the first time.
The James Webb Space Telescope's shot of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A shows elaborate details visible for the first time.
NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI
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The Webb observations showed that a newly found galaxy, known as JADES-GS-z7-01-QU, went through a brief, intense period of star formation lasting between 30 million and 90 million years before star production abruptly halted.
According to Looser, "Things tend to happen quicker and more dramatically in the early universe, including galaxies transitioning from forming stars to becoming dormant or quenched."
An unusual observation
The dead galaxy revealed by the study is not the first astronomers have come across, but it is the oldest one observed thus far.
What's more, the galaxy had a low mass, like a dwarf galaxy near the Milky Way called the Small Magellanic Cloud. This dwarf galaxy is still creating new stars. It's interesting to note that previously observed dead galaxies have been much bigger, making the Webb discovery even more unique.
This artistâs impression shows the record-breaking quasar J059-4351, the bright core of a distant galaxy that is powered by a supermassive black hole. Using ESOâs Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, this quasar has been found to be the most luminous object known in the Universe to date. The supermassive black hole, seen here pulling in surrounding matter, has a mass 17 billion times that of the Sun and is growing in mass by the equivalent of another Sun per day, making it the fastest-growing black hole ever known.
This artist's illustration depicts the quasar J059-4351, a supermassive black hole that powers the bright core of a distant galaxy. It was discovered using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile and is currently the most luminous object in the Universe. The black hole, which has a mass 17 billion times that of the Sun, is shown here attracting surrounding matter and is increasing in mass at a rate equivalent to one Sun per day. This makes it the fastest-growing black hole ever observed.
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The newly discovered galaxy is located billions of light-years away from Earth. To put that into perspective, a light-year is the distance that a beam of light travels in a year, which is over 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers). This means that when the Webb telescope observes the galaxy, it is essentially seeing it as it existed in the past. Astronomers are considering the possibility that the galaxy may have experienced a resurrection and started forming stars again.
According to D’Eugenio, the goal is to find similar galaxies in the early universe. This search will provide valuable insights into the reasons why galaxies stop forming new stars. It is possible that galaxies in the early universe go through a cycle of "dying" and then coming back to life. To better understand this phenomenon, more observations will be needed in the future.
Editor's P/S:
This article showcases the remarkable capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope, enabling astronomers to peer into the distant universe and uncover fascinating discoveries. The revelation of the oldest "dead" galaxy challenges our understanding of star formation and the evolution of galaxies. The abrupt cessation of star production in this galaxy raises intriguing questions about the factors that influence the life cycle of galaxies in the early universe. Studying this galaxy and others like it will provide valuable insights into the fundamental processes that shape the cosmos.
Moreover, the discovery highlights the potential for ongoing revelations as the Webb telescope continues its mission. By pushing the boundaries of our observational capabilities, we can gain a deeper understanding of the universe's origins, the nature of black holes, and the formation and evolution of galaxies. The prospect of uncovering hidden phenomena and unraveling cosmic mysteries fuels our curiosity and inspires us to continue exploring the vastness of space.
