Aliza Chasan
CBS
Wed, August 9, 2023
The farthest star ever detected, located behind what NASA describes as "a wrinkle in space-time," is more than twice as hot as the sun and about a million times more luminous.
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed new details about the star, dubbed Earendel, which was detected by the Hubble Space Telescope last year. Earendel, part of the Sunrise Arc galaxy, is only detectable because the galaxy cluster is so massive that it warps the fabric of space, producing a magnifying effect that astronomers can look through, according to NASA. In the months since Earendel's discovery, Webb has spotted other very distant stars, though none as far away as Earendel.
"The discoveries have opened a new realm of the universe to stellar physics, and new subject matter to scientists studying the early universe, where once galaxies were the smallest detectable cosmic objects," NASA said. "The research team has cautious hope that this could be a step toward the eventual detection of one of the very first generation of stars, composed only of the raw ingredients of the universe created in the big bang – hydrogen and helium."
Wed, August 9, 2023
The farthest star ever detected, located behind what NASA describes as "a wrinkle in space-time," is more than twice as hot as the sun and about a million times more luminous.
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed new details about the star, dubbed Earendel, which was detected by the Hubble Space Telescope last year. Earendel, part of the Sunrise Arc galaxy, is only detectable because the galaxy cluster is so massive that it warps the fabric of space, producing a magnifying effect that astronomers can look through, according to NASA. In the months since Earendel's discovery, Webb has spotted other very distant stars, though none as far away as Earendel.
"The discoveries have opened a new realm of the universe to stellar physics, and new subject matter to scientists studying the early universe, where once galaxies were the smallest detectable cosmic objects," NASA said. "The research team has cautious hope that this could be a step toward the eventual detection of one of the very first generation of stars, composed only of the raw ingredients of the universe created in the big bang – hydrogen and helium."
Earendel is located along a wrinkle in space-time that gives it extreme magnification.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA
Because of Earendel's distance from Earth, it took 12.9 billion years for its light to reach us, scientists said. The universe was less than a billion years old when the light was emitted. The star is now 28 billion lightyears away.
Based on colors observed with Webb, astronomers believe that Earendel, which means "morning star" or "rising light" in Old English, may have a cooler, redder companion star, too.
The previous oldest and most distant single star was observed by Hubble in 2018. The light from that star, named Icarus, took 9 billion years to reach Earth, according to NASA.
Victoria Strait, co-author of the initial study on Earendel, previously said that the old star offers scientists an opportunity to learn more about the past.
"As we peer into the cosmos, we also look back in time, so these extreme high-resolution observations allow us to understand the building blocks of some of the very first galaxies," she previously said.
Because of Earendel's distance from Earth, it took 12.9 billion years for its light to reach us, scientists said. The universe was less than a billion years old when the light was emitted. The star is now 28 billion lightyears away.
Based on colors observed with Webb, astronomers believe that Earendel, which means "morning star" or "rising light" in Old English, may have a cooler, redder companion star, too.
The previous oldest and most distant single star was observed by Hubble in 2018. The light from that star, named Icarus, took 9 billion years to reach Earth, according to NASA.
Victoria Strait, co-author of the initial study on Earendel, previously said that the old star offers scientists an opportunity to learn more about the past.
"As we peer into the cosmos, we also look back in time, so these extreme high-resolution observations allow us to understand the building blocks of some of the very first galaxies," she previously said.
'Wrinkle in space-time' enables James Webb to capture stunning image of most distant star ever detected
Kiley Price
Thu, August 10, 2023
Many stars in a galaxy with a zoomed in image on the Earendel star
In March 2022, the Hubble Space Telescope detected the most distant star ever seen in the cosmos.
Now, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an even more detailed glimpse of this ancient celestial body, revealing it to be a massive B-type star that's more than twice as hot as the sun and roughly a million times brighter. The star is known as WHL0137-LS — nicknamed Earendel — and resides in the Sunrise Arc galaxy. Light we detect now from Earendel began its journey from the star 12.9 billion years ago, which means the star began emitting its rays less than a billion years after the Big Bang, according to Live Science's sister site Space.com. Because every point in the known universe has been expanding like a cosmic balloon since then, Earendel now lies 28 billion light-years from Earth.
The telescopes were able to detect this extremely distant star due to its position behind "a wrinkle in space-time" created by a massive cluster of galaxies that’s bending and magnifying Earendel’s light through a phenomenon called gravitational lensing, according to a statement from NASA.
Related: 32 jaw-dropping James Webb Space Telescope images
Image from James Webb Space Telescope of massive galaxy cluster WHL0137-08.
"The galaxy cluster, located between us and Earendel, is so massive that it warps the fabric of space itself, which produces a magnifying effect, allowing astronomers to look through the cluster like a magnifying glass," the statement said.
Peering through this gravitational lens, scientists captured the crimson rays shining off Earendel, as well as a kaleidoscope of star clusters in the Sunrise Arc. The small dots on either side of Earendel are two images of another ancient star cluster estimated to be at least 10 million years old, which "shows us how the globular clusters in our own Milky Way might have looked when they formed 13 billion years ago," the statement said. The image also revealed what may be a cooler, redder cosmic companion star that orbits Earendel
The JWST's primary mirror has six times the light-gathering power of the Hubble telescope, which enables it to capture longer and dimmer light wavelengths. As a result of this technology, JWST has helped make countless discoveries about our universe during its first year of operations — from the spiral "Phantom Galaxy" 32 million light-years from Earth to clear traces of carbon-based molecules in the Orion Nebula. Scientists have also detected other distant stars in the universe, but Earendel remains the farthest star on record.
"The discoveries have opened a new realm of the universe to stellar physics, and new subject matter to scientists studying the early universe, where once galaxies were the smallest detectable cosmic objects," the statement said. "The research team has cautious hope that this could be a step toward the eventual detection of one of the very first generation of stars, composed only of the raw ingredients of the universe created in the big bang — hydrogen and helium."
Kiley Price
Thu, August 10, 2023
Many stars in a galaxy with a zoomed in image on the Earendel star
In March 2022, the Hubble Space Telescope detected the most distant star ever seen in the cosmos.
Now, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an even more detailed glimpse of this ancient celestial body, revealing it to be a massive B-type star that's more than twice as hot as the sun and roughly a million times brighter. The star is known as WHL0137-LS — nicknamed Earendel — and resides in the Sunrise Arc galaxy. Light we detect now from Earendel began its journey from the star 12.9 billion years ago, which means the star began emitting its rays less than a billion years after the Big Bang, according to Live Science's sister site Space.com. Because every point in the known universe has been expanding like a cosmic balloon since then, Earendel now lies 28 billion light-years from Earth.
The telescopes were able to detect this extremely distant star due to its position behind "a wrinkle in space-time" created by a massive cluster of galaxies that’s bending and magnifying Earendel’s light through a phenomenon called gravitational lensing, according to a statement from NASA.
Related: 32 jaw-dropping James Webb Space Telescope images
Image from James Webb Space Telescope of massive galaxy cluster WHL0137-08.
"The galaxy cluster, located between us and Earendel, is so massive that it warps the fabric of space itself, which produces a magnifying effect, allowing astronomers to look through the cluster like a magnifying glass," the statement said.
Peering through this gravitational lens, scientists captured the crimson rays shining off Earendel, as well as a kaleidoscope of star clusters in the Sunrise Arc. The small dots on either side of Earendel are two images of another ancient star cluster estimated to be at least 10 million years old, which "shows us how the globular clusters in our own Milky Way might have looked when they formed 13 billion years ago," the statement said. The image also revealed what may be a cooler, redder cosmic companion star that orbits Earendel
The JWST's primary mirror has six times the light-gathering power of the Hubble telescope, which enables it to capture longer and dimmer light wavelengths. As a result of this technology, JWST has helped make countless discoveries about our universe during its first year of operations — from the spiral "Phantom Galaxy" 32 million light-years from Earth to clear traces of carbon-based molecules in the Orion Nebula. Scientists have also detected other distant stars in the universe, but Earendel remains the farthest star on record.
"The discoveries have opened a new realm of the universe to stellar physics, and new subject matter to scientists studying the early universe, where once galaxies were the smallest detectable cosmic objects," the statement said. "The research team has cautious hope that this could be a step toward the eventual detection of one of the very first generation of stars, composed only of the raw ingredients of the universe created in the big bang — hydrogen and helium."
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