Tag

Earlyuniverse

All articles tagged with #earlyuniverse

space20 hours ago•5 min saved

Black Hole Precedes Galaxy: Webb Finds Direct-Collapse Seed in the Early Universe

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed Abell2744-QSO1, a highly lensed “Little Red Dot” from 700 million years after the Big Bang, revealing a ~50 million solar-mass black hole that accounts for about two-thirds of the system’s mass. The surrounding gas shows Keplerian rotation, allowing a direct mass measurement, which indicates the black hole formed before a substantial host galaxy—supporting primordial or direct-collapse seeds and challenging the idea that supermassive black holes grow primarily from stellar remnants within mature galaxies. Webb’s findings suggest such early, “pre-galaxy” black holes may not be rare and could reshape theories of black hole and galaxy co-evolution.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#blackhole #directcollapseblackholes #earlyuniverse

space29 days ago•4 min saved

X-ray Dot Bridges Little Red Dots and Growing Black Holes

Astronomers using Webb and Chandra have identified a unique X-ray–emitting object, 3DHST-AEGIS-12014, about 11.8–12 billion light-years away, that appears as a “little red dot” yet glows in X-rays. The finding could mark a transitional phase between dusty, obscured little red dots and ordinary growing supermassive black holes, offering a key clue to how SMBHs form in the early universe. If this interpretation holds, it would link the LRD population to SMBH growth; further observations are planned to confirm the scenario.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#astronomy #blackholes #earlyuniverse

space3 months ago•55 min saved

JWST Spots MoM-z14, the Universe’s Oldest Galaxy Yet (280 Million Years After the Big Bang)

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope confirmed MoM-z14 as the most distant spectroscopically confirmed galaxy to date, seen as it emitted light about 280 million years after the Big Bang (redshift z=14.44). The galaxy is compact (roughly 240 light-years across) with a mass similar to the Small Magellanic Cloud, and shows rapid star formation and nitrogen-rich composition, suggesting early, globular-cluster–like stellar activity. The finding, first reported in a 2025 preprint and later peer‑reviewed in early 2026, challenges existing models of early galaxy formation and signals more discoveries to come, including with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

via Live Science|

#earlyuniverse #galaxyformation #highredshift

science8 months ago•2 min saved

New Black Hole Discoveries Challenge Existing Cosmic Theories

New research using the Very Large Telescope suggests that supermassive black holes in early galaxies were smaller than previously thought, which could lead to a reevaluation of models of cosmic evolution and our understanding of the early universe.

via Gizmodo|

#blackholes #cosmology #earlyuniverse

science-and-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

"Early Cosmic Structures Resembled Bananas, Research Indicates"

A new study analyzing images from the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that galaxies in the early universe were elongated and shaped more like bananas, rather than the orbs and spidery discs we see today. This unexpected finding, which deviates from previous assumptions based on Hubble telescope observations, could significantly impact our understanding of galaxy formation and the role of dark matter. The research, led by Viraj Pandya of Columbia University, suggests a revision of the gravitational frameworks that describe how galaxies are born and evolve, and it may provide new insights into the enigmatic nature of dark matter.

via The New York Times|

##astronomy #darkmatter

science-and-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

"Spiral Galaxies Abounded in the Early Cosmos, Studies Indicate"

A new study using data from the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that spiral galaxies were much more common in the early universe than previously thought. Researchers found that about a fifth of galaxies at redshift z=3, which corresponds to less than two billion years after the Big Bang, were spiral galaxies. This challenges the notion that spiral galaxies mainly form from mergers and collisions over time, suggesting that other factors contribute to their formation. The findings, which are based on observations from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey (CEERS), indicate that many galaxies evolved into spirals much earlier than expected, and further research is needed to understand the underlying processes.

via Phys.org|

##astronomy #earlyuniverse

science-and-technology2 years ago•3 min saved

"Seismic Ripples Reveal Surprising Abundance of Early Spiral Galaxies"

Astronomers using the ALMA observatory have studied BRI 1335-0417, the oldest known spiral galaxy at over 12 billion years old, to gain insights into early galaxy formation. They observed seismic wave patterns and a bar structure within the galaxy, which are indicative of dynamic star formation processes and the galaxy's growth. The findings, which include the most distant known galactic bar, help explain the rapid star formation rates in early galaxies and provide a glimpse into the past when the Universe was only 10 percent of its current age. The research contributes to our understanding of how spiral structures form and the evolution of galaxies like our own Milky Way.

via SciTechDaily|

##almaobservatory #earlyuniverse

science-and-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

"Spiral Galaxies Abounded in the Youthful Cosmos"

A new study using data from the James Webb Space Telescope challenges the traditional view of galaxy formation by revealing a higher-than-expected number of spiral galaxies in the early Universe. The findings suggest that spiral galaxies formed much earlier than previously thought, with about a fifth of galaxies at redshift z = 3 (less than two billion years after the Big Bang) being spirals. This indicates that other factors besides galactic collisions and mergers may play a significant role in the formation of spiral galaxies. Further research with JWST data may uncover how these early galaxies evolved and the reasons behind the longstanding presence of spiral galaxies.

via Universe Today|

##astronomy #earlyuniverse