The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021 as the largest and most complex space science observatory ever built, has had an eventful second year in space. As it celebrates its two year anniversary this Christmas, Webb has revealed amazing new discoveries that both awe us and challenge our fundamental theories of the origins and evolution of the cosmos.
Webb reveals unexpected large-scale structure in the early universe
One of Webb’s most perplexing recent revelations is the discovery of significant cosmic structure in the very early universe, just 800-900 million years after the Big Bang, as detailed in an October 2022 study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. Researchers were stunned to find evidence of massive galaxy clusters and large filaments of matter at this early epoch, much earlier in cosmic history and more pronounced than theories and models predict.
“This is an exciting result because the filamentary structure is still very pronounced at this early time,” says lead researcher Dominik Riechers of Cornell University. The distribution and clustering of galaxies reveals fundamental details about the underlying invisible cosmic web structure – a cosmic scaffolding where most matter in the universe resides. Finding such unexpectedly large structures existing when the universe was only about 5 percent of its current age, contradicts current cosmological theories of how the universe evolved from the relatively smooth afterglow of the Big Bang into the web of galaxy clusters and voids we see today.
“Our current understandings and predictions of the distribution of matter in the universe going back in time are incomplete,” said Riechers. “And we need to go back to the fundamentals because it’s clear that something is missing in our models.” Reconciling this will likely require new physics that is missing from our current Standard Model of cosmology known as Lambda Cold Dark Matter, such as interactions between dark matter particles. This discovery highlights the challenges Webb may bring upon long held assumptions as explores the unknown cosmos.
The unexpectedly early emergence of structure in the infant universe observed by Webb challenges current cosmological models. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, I. Labbe (Swinburne University of Technology), R. Ellis (University College London), and the PHANGS-JWST and RELICS collaborations
Webb reveals secrets of galactic evolution over cosmic time
In addition to probing the early universe, Webb has also stared deeply into distant galaxies over vast timescales, revealing important clues to how galaxies have evolved from chaotic assemblies of gas and dust to majestic spiraling island universes like our own Milky Way.
As described in a December 2022 paper in Nature Astronomy, Webb captured vivid images peering back in time over 13.1 billion years to the early formative years of some of the earliest galaxies ever observed. Comparing the disorderly blobs of newborn galaxies back then to the mature well structured galaxies we see closer in cosmic time, the analysis charts the progression of how galaxies take shape, forming hundreds of billions of stars spawning in their glowing cores over billions of years.
Webb peers back over 13 billion years to see embryonic galaxies in their infancy (left) compared to galactic structure in more recent epochs (right). Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team
“It’s like looking at baby pictures of the universe,” said lead researcher Katherine Whitaker of the University of Connecticut. “Webb allows us to study galaxies in such incredible detail largely unseen before that we can witness them slowly build up into the beautiful structures we see around us today.”
Understanding the broad narrative of cosmic evolution stretching across the whole history of universe, from the residual afterglow of its fiery birth until today, promises to reveal important clues to the fundamental laws of nature that orchestrated this stunning metamorphosis. Discoveries like these from Webb are rewriting astronomy textbooks with a dramatic new epic vision of our cosmos.
Webb discovers earliest known galaxy and peers back to dawn of time
Not content to only probe the adolescence phase of cosmic evolution, Webb has stretched back even farther to discover one of very first galaxies formed after the Big Bang, revealed in research published in December 2022. Light from galaxy candidate CEERS-93316 traveled for over 13.4 billion years to reach Webb’s giant mirror, giving us a snapshot of the primordial universe only 290 million years after the Big Bang. This represents some of the earliest luminous objects ever observed.
“This really could be the most distant starlight that anyone has ever seen,” said astronomer Rohan Naidu of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, who led the study detecting this embryonic galaxy. Finding galaxies dating from the dawn of time is extremely challenging work pushing Webb to its limits – CEERS-93316 is 100 times fainter than the faintest star visible to the naked eye. Yet Webb’s incredible infrared vision makes even these vanishing, redshifted ghosts from the edge of eternity visible.
| CEERS-93316 Galaxy Properties | |
|---|---|
| Age | 290 million years after Big Bang |
| Redshift | z=16.7 |
| Luminosity | 2.4 million times fainter than visible stars |
| Number of Stars | Millions forming per year |
Table 1. Known properties of CEERS-93316, one of the earliest candidate galaxies observed by Webb
“It’s mind-boggling that we may be looking at one of the very first galaxies that formed after the Big Bang,” marvels astronomer Brant Robertson at UC Santa Cruz and study co-author. “Webb’s extreme sensitivity allows dissecting these primeval galaxies to understand the earliest phase of galaxy buildup.” Webb is stretching our vision to the very threshold of the observable universe, peering back over 97% of cosmic history to the first few hundred million years after time began. Discoveries of early cosmic fossil galaxies like CEERS-93316 promises to reveal this uncharted era of our universe emerging from its initial darkness.
Webb photo album continues to stun and surprise
In addition to making groundbreaking discoveries that advance our knowledge, Webb has also proven to be a powerful and tireless cosmic photographer. Bringing breathtaking beauty to accompanies the science, Webb has unveiled a series of gorgeous portraits revealing nebulae, stars, galaxies and exoplanets in stunning high resolution.
Webb’s giant gold segmented mirror spans over 21 feet enabling it to capture intricate textural details never before possible. Take for example Webb’s latest portrait of the iconic Pillars of Creation from the Eagle Nebula, released in November 2022 and soon becoming one of Webb’s most widely celebrated images.
Table 2. Side by side comparison showcasing astonishing details Webb resolved in the Pillar structures (right) compared to past observations (left). Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI and Webb/EPO team
Compared to past observations, the leap in resolution is simply staggering – individual baby stars coming into being can be seen nestled inside the towering Pillars against a backdrop of glittering stars. Infrared light piercing through the dusty stellar nurseries reveals hundreds of newly formed stars that optical telescopes cannot uncover. And thanks to Webb’s pristine optics and infrared acuity, even vastly more distant background galaxies can be spotted peering through the Pillars – which in visible light would have been fully obscured.
“It is humbling as an astronomer to stare back billions of years in time and marvel at how these giant molecular clouds look exactly like our models predicted,” muses visualization scientist Alyssa Pagan of the Webb Mission Office. “Webb’s imagery is affirming our theories but also revealing all sorts of surprises about how stars form that we have yet to comprehend.”
In only two years Webb has already fundamentally changed and expanded our perception and understanding of the cosmos. Yet astronomers feel this powerful observatory has still barely scratched the surface of discoveries awaiting in Webb’s million mile stare into deep space across cosmic time. The secrets of galaxies, black holes, alien worlds and our own mysterious origins all await unlocked by Webb’s piercing infrared eyes – the new prime cosmic observatory for the 21st century voyage of exploration piecing together the epic history of our universe.
What’s next for the Webb telescope?
As 2023 begins, astronomers around the globe eagerly anticipate what new revelations await from Webb in its third year. Upcoming Webb observations will probe a range of tantalizing mysteries:
- Detailed analysis of exoplanets, seeking clues to their atmospheres, weather patterns, seasons and potential habitability
- Studying supermassive black holes obscured by dust at the hearts of distant galaxies
- Better understanding the mysterious invisible substance known as dark matter
- Discovering and analyzing the oldest galaxy fossils from cosmic dawn after the Big Bang
- Comparing infant galaxies seen just 800 million years after the Big Bang versus mature galaxies later for insights into how present day galaxies assembled over billions of years
- Cataloging huge numbers of new galaxies, stars and exoplanets to better understand their numbers, types and distribution throughout the observable universe
The cosmos awaits and Webb is only getting warmed up. Astronomers anticipate game changing discoveries on the horizon that may shake the foundations of contemporary astrophysics as Webb reveals strange new worlds and peeks further back toward cosmic genesis than any instrument before. Its breathtaking images act as entrada into the majesty, beauty and mysteries of worlds beyond our own. Stay tuned as the Webb show has only just begun!
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