The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space observatory that was launched to space back in December 2021.
Its primary mission is to study the early universe, including the first stars and galaxies that formed after the Big Bang.
Recently, the JWST has reportedly discovered six massive galaxies that are so old they shouldn't exist. According to NASA, these galaxies are some of the oldest and most distant ever observed, dating back to when the universe was only about 500 million years old.
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| Ground-breaking: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has just spotted six massive galaxies in the early universe (pictured) that are so old they shouldn't actually exist. One of the sources (bottom left) could contain as many stars as our present-day Milky Way |
What makes these galaxies so surprising is that they are much larger and more mature than scientists would expect to find at such an early stage in the universe's evolution. In fact, the galaxies are so massive that their existence challenges current theories of how galaxies form and evolve.
The discovery of these galaxies is an exciting development for astronomers, as it will help them better understand the early universe and the processes that drove the formation of the first galaxies. It is hoped that the JWST will continue to uncover new and surprising discoveries about our universe for years to come.
Reference(s): Research Article