The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has identified dozens of small, distant galaxies whose light pierced the "dark fog" of the early universe, dating back to the first billion years after the Big Bang.
This discovery, presented on June 11th at the 246th American Astronomical Society meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, suggests these galaxies emitted strong ultraviolet (UV) light, crucial for the reionization era.
These small galaxies, undergoing starbursts, likely played a significant role in ionizing neutral hydrogen gas, clearing the cosmic fog. Their small size allowed UV light to escape more easily, contributing significantly to the process.
Researchers examined JWST images of the Abell 2744 galaxy cluster, using it as a gravitational lens to observe faint, distant galaxies. They found 83 starburst galaxies, whose combined UV light output was substantial.
These findings offer insights into the early universe, galaxy formation, and evolution, expanding our understanding of the cosmos.