Latest news with #SmallMagellanicCloud
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
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Hi, 'Mom'! James Webb telescope discovers MoM-z14 — the most distant, early galaxy ever seen
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has spotted the most distant galaxy observed to date — breaking its own record yet again. The galaxy, dubbed MoM-z14, is "the most distant spectroscopically confirmed source to date, extending the observational frontier to a mere 280 million years after the Big Bang," researchers wrote in a new study that appeared May 23 on the preprint server arXiv. In other words, the galaxy emitted light just 280 million years after the birth of the universe; after its long journey across the cosmos, that light is only now reaching Earth and JWST's infrared sensors. "It's pretty exciting," Charlotte Mason, an astrophysicist at the University of Copenhagen who wasn't involved in the study, told New Scientist. "It confirms that there really are these very bright galaxies in the universe." Since beginning operation in 2022, JWST has spotted more bright, ancient galaxies than scientists expected, challenging previous theories about the universe's infancy. "This unexpected population has electrified the community and raised fundamental questions about galaxy formation in the first 500 [million years after the Big Bang]," the authors wrote. As more examples trickle in, scientists are working to confirm whether these luminous objects really are ancient galaxies. Study lead author Rohan Naidu, an astrophysicist at MIT, and colleagues combed through existing JWST images for potential early galaxies to check. After identifying MoM-z14 as a possible target, they turned the telescope toward the peculiar object in April 2025. One way scientists can measure an astronomical object's age is by measuring its redshift. As the universe expands, it stretches the light emitted by distant objects to longer, "redder" wavelengths. The farther and longer the light has traveled, the larger its redshift. In the new study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, the team confirmed MoM-z14's redshift as 14.44 — larger than that of the previous record holder for farthest observed galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0, at 14.18. Related: James Webb telescope sees 'birth' of 3 of the universe's earliest galaxies in world-1st observations MoM-z14 is fairly compact for the amount of light it emits. It's about 240 light-years across, some 400 times smaller than our own galaxy. And it contains about as much mass as the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that orbits the Milky Way. RELATED STORIES —James Webb telescope spots Milky Way's long-lost 'twin' — and it is 'fundamentally changing our view of the early universe' —'I was astonished': Ancient galaxy discovered by James Webb telescope contains the oldest oxygen scientists have ever seen —'Totally unexpected' galaxy discovered by James Webb telescope defies our understanding of the early universe The researchers observed MoM-z14 during a burst of rapid star formation. It's also rich in nitrogen relative to carbon, much like globular clusters observed in the Milky Way. These ancient, tightly-bound groups of thousands to millions of stars are thought to have formed in the first few billion years of the universe, making them the oldest known stars in the nearby cosmos. That MoM-z14 appears similar could suggest that stars formed in comparable ways even at this very early stage in the universe's development. Though scientists still aim to confirm more high redshift galaxies, researchers expect to find even more candidates with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, an infrared telescope designed to observe a large swath of the sky, which is set to launch by May 2027. But JWST may break its own record again before then. "JWST itself appears poised to drive a series of great expansions of the cosmic frontier," the authors wrote. "Previously unimaginable redshifts, approaching the era of the very first stars, no longer seem far away."
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
5 dazzling interstellar images to celebrate Hubble's 35th birthday
This week, the famed NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope turns 35 years-young. Launched on April 24 1990, the space telescope fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe. In its over three decades of service, Hubble has taken over 1.6 million observations, traveled 13.4 billion light-years, and roughly 21,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers have been published back home on Earth about its discoveries. Hubble also snapped the first space-based images of an asteroid breaking, the first confirmation that the Andromeda Galaxy will collide with our Milky Way Galaxy, and many more famous firsts. In celebration of its big birthday, gaze at five recent images taken by the famed telescope. An earlier image of the Eagle Nebula–aka called Messier 16–was included as part of Hubble's 15th anniversary celebration in 2005. This year, Hubble is using new image processing techniques to show this star factory in a new light. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), a pillar of cold gas and dust 9.5 light-years tall is unfurling along the length of the new image. The dust and gas pillar is only one part of the Eagle Nebula, whose name is inspired by its appearance. Dark clouds shape the nebula's shining edge, and look like a majestic eagle spreading its wings. It is roughly 7,000 light-years away from Earth near the famous Pillars of Creation, which Hubble has imaged multiple times and was one of the early images sent back by the newer James Webb Space Telescope. Spiral galaxy Messier 77, also called the Squid Galaxy, sits 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus (The Whale). The name Squid Galaxy refers to the extended, filamentary structure curling around M77's disk-like the tentacles of a squid. Hubble previously released an image of the Squid Galaxy in 2013. This image released on April 18 incorporates the space telescope's recent observations made with different filters. It also used updated image processing techniques, which allow astronomers to see this spiral galaxy in more detail. Hubble's first observation made in infrared, optical, and ultraviolet wavelengths shows a new look at a young star cluster NGC 346. The 'star-forming factory' is home to more than 2,500 newborn stars. Some of its biggest stars are even larger than our sun and shine with an intense blue light in this image. Remnants of the births from many of the stars in the cluster glow in the sparkling pink nebula and dark clouds. NGC 346 is in the Small Magellanic Cloud. This satellite galaxy of our home Milky Way galaxy is about 200,000 light-years away in the constellation Tucana. The Small Magellanic Cloud has less elements heavier than helium than the Milky Way with conditions more similar to what existed in the earliest days of the universe. Even with a seemingly infinite amount of elbow room, sometimes galaxies stick together thanks to gravity. Arp 105 is one of these. It's an ongoing merger between elliptical galaxy NGC 3561B and spiral galaxy NGC 3561A, characterized by a long tidal tail of stars and gas that is more than 362,000 light-years long. This unique shape gives this cosmic merger its nickname: The Guitar. The long lane of dark dust coming from elliptical galaxy NGC 3561B may be feeding the bright blue star-forming area on the base of the guitar. This region known as Ambartsumian's Knot is a tidal dwarf galaxy. These are a type of star-forming system that develops from the debris in tidal arms of interacting galaxies, according to NASA. The Sombrero Galaxy is about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It boasts a softly luminous bulge and sharply outlined disc, which resemble the rounded crown and broad brim of a sombrero. Hubble has imaged this 'fan-favorite' galaxy several times in the past 20 years, including a well-known image from October 2003. This new image reveals finer detail in the galaxy's disc, as well as more background stars and galaxies. While it is packed with stars, the Sombrero Galaxy is not really a major area of star formation. However, it does surround a supermassive black hole that is more than 2,000 times bigger than the Milky Way's central black hole. For more on Hubble's 35th anniversary, you can download NASA's eBook Hubble's Beautiful Universe.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The galaxy next to ours is being torn apart, study suggests
The galaxy next to ours might be getting torn apart, a study has suggested. The Small Magellanic Cloud, or SMC – a relatively small galaxy that neighbours ours – appears to be getting torn to bits by the gravitational pull of a neighbouring galaxy, the new research suggests. 'When we first got this result, we suspected that there might be an error in our method of analysis,' said Kengo Tachihara, from Nagoya University in Japan. 'However, upon closer examination, the results are indisputable, and we were surprised.' The SMC is one of our nearest neighbours, which allows researchers to keep close tabs on the roughly 7,000 massive stars that make up the galaxy. Those stars are more than eight times the mass of our Sun, and usually last for just a few million years before they explode into supernovae. As they watched those stars, researchers noticed that they appeared to be getting pulled apart by the Large Magellanic Cloud, or LMC, which itself neighbours the galaxy. 'The stars in the SMC were moving in opposite directions on either side of the galaxy, as though they are being pulled apart,' said Tachihara. 'Some of these stars are approaching the LMC, while others are moving away from it, suggesting the gravitational influence of the larger galaxy. 'This unexpected movement supports the hypothesis that the SMC is being disrupted by the LMC, leading to its gradual destruction.' Researchers also noticed that the SMC does not appear to be rotating. Usually, young massive stars move around along with the gas that they were born from – but the SMC's stars do not appear to be moving in that way, suggesting that the gas itself is not rotating as expected. That could lead to a new understanding not only of the SMC but also the way it interacts with galaxies including our own. Further the research could help us better understand the conditions and story of the early universe. The SMC is useful for understanding the cosmos when it was younger than it is today, because it shares some characteristics with early galaxies. 'We are unable to get a 'bird's-eye view' of the galaxy in which we live,' said Tachihara. 'As a result, the SMC and the LMC are the only galaxies in which we can observe the details of stellar motion. This research is important because it allows us to study the process of star formation in connection with the motion of stars throughout the galaxy.' The work is described in a new paper, 'Evidence of Galactic Interaction in the Small Magellanic Cloud Probed by Gaia-selected Massive Star Candidates', published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists discover nearest galaxy to ours is being destroyed and will change everything we know about space
Scientists have found that our nearest galaxy is undergoing 'gradual destruction' and could change everything that we know about space. Researchers at the Nagoya University in Japan have been studying the motion of stars in a galaxy neighbouring the Milky Way called the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The group were analysing some 7,000 big stars in the SMC and noticed something strange. On first glance, it appeared that the SMC's 'larger companion', the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), was to causing a bit of an issue. The research team, led by Satoya Nakano and Kengo Tachihara, decided to take a closer look and found that the LMC might be tearing the SMC apart. After analysing their initial findings, Tachihara thought 'there might be an error' with the results. However, they were eventually able to show 'evidence' that the stars in the SMC, which survive for a few million years before exploding, 'were moving in opposite directions' and 'are being pulled apart'. Tachihara said: 'Some of these stars are approaching the LMC, while others are moving away from it, suggesting the gravitational influence of the larger galaxy. 'This unexpected movement supports the hypothesis that the SMC is being disrupted by the LMC, leading to its gradual destruction.' The team also discovered that the stars in the SMC were not following a rotational pattern, unlike stars in our Milky Way. This means that 'previous estimates of its mass and its interaction history with the Milky Way and LMC might need to be revised'. On what this means for space study, Nakano explained: 'This could potentially change our understanding of the history of the three-body interaction between the two Magellanic Clouds and the Milky Way.' For years, scientists have been studying the SMC because of how similar it's supposed to be to the Milky Way. The issue, as Tachihara says, is that we are unable to get a 'bird's-eye view' of the galaxy in which we live'. That's why discoveries on how the SMC and LMC work with one another, are supposed give us a better understanding on the processes that shaped galaxies billions of years ago. 'As a result, the SMC and the LMC are the only galaxies in which we can observe the details of stellar motion,' Tachihara added. 'This research is important because it allows us to study the process of star formation in connection with the motion of stars throughout the galaxy.' The full study was published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A gravitational war next door: The Large Magellanic Cloud is gradually destroying the Small Magellanic Cloud
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Two dwarf galaxies are waging war in the vicinity of our Milky Way and it looks like there is only one possible victor. Using tips from the star-tracking Gaia spacecraft, scientists examined the motions of massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) to find it is being ripped apart by the gravitational influence of its larger counterpart, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The results spell disaster for the SMC, suggesting it may eventually be completely destroyed by this interaction. The SMC's loss is astronomers' gain, however, as this event can teach us more about galactic evolution. "When we first got this result, we suspected that there might be an error in our method of analysis. However, upon closer examination, the results are indisputable, and we were surprised," team co-leader Kengo Tachihara of Nagoya University said in a statement. "The stars in the SMC were moving in opposite directions on either side of the galaxy, as though they are being pulled apart. "Some of these stars are approaching the LMC, while others are moving away from it, suggesting the gravitational influence of the larger galaxy. This unexpected movement supports the hypothesis that the SMC is being disrupted by the LMC, leading to its gradual destruction." Thanks to the proximity of the SMC to our own galaxy, Tachihara and his colleagues were able to identify and track around 700 massive stars in the dwarf galaxy. These stars, with over eight times the mass of the sun, burn through their nuclear fuel supplies more rapidly than smaller stars do. This means they have much shorter lifespans. While the sun is expected to burn hydrogen in its "main sequence" lifetime for around 10 billion years, massive stars can exhaust their nuclear fuel in just a few million years. After exhausting their fuel supplies, the stars erupt in supernova explosions, leaving behind neutron stars or black holes. In addition to discovering stars moving in opposite directions on different sides of the SMC, the team also found that the stars in this dwarf galaxy lacked rotational motion. This is surprising because massive stars are born from clouds of collapsing interstellar gas, which, as we have seen in the Milky Way, do rotate. Plus, massive stars usually share that rotational motion when they are young, as they have not yet "decoupled" themselves from their pre-natal cocoons. This lack of rotating stars in the SMC hints that the interstellar gas in the dwarf galaxy may also not rotate. This could have implications for how we model the SMC and its interactions with the LMC and the Milky Way. "If the SMC is indeed not rotating, previous estimates of its mass and its interaction history with the Milky Way and LMC might need to be revised," team co-leader Satoya Nakano, also of Nagoya University, said in the statement. "This could potentially change our understanding of the history of the three-body interaction between the two Magellanic Clouds and the Milky Way." Related Stories: — Hubble Telescope spies star-forming cocoons in neighboring galaxy (photo) — Hidden monster black hole in the galaxy next door fired stars at us like million mph cosmic bullets — NASA wants a 'Super-Hubble' space telescope to search for life on alien worlds The new findings could help scientists better understand dynamic interactions between galaxies in general. Because the SMC and LMC share many characteristics with primordial galaxies in the early universe, such as the dearth of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, this research could also help understand how the interactions of galaxies in the early universe shaped the cosmos as we see it today. "We are unable to get a 'bird's-eye view' of the galaxy in which we live," Tachihara said. "As a result, the SMC and the LMC are the only galaxies in which we can observe the details of stellar motion. "This research is important because it allows us to study the process of star formation in connection with the motion of stars throughout the galaxy." The team's research was published on Thursday (April 10) in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.
