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Some of the spiral galaxies studied by the researchers in the study. Credit: Vicki Kuhn
Scientists at the University of Missouri are peering into the past and discovering new clues about the early universe. Because light takes a long time to travel through space, they can now see what galaxies looked like billions of years ago.
In a new study, Mizzou researchers have found that spiral galaxies were more common in the early universe than previously thought. The work appears in The astrophysical diary letters.
“Scientists used to believe that most spiral galaxies developed about 6 to 7 billion years after the universe was formed,” said Yicheng Guo, associate professor in Mizzou’s department of physics and astronomy and co-author of the study. “However, our research shows that spiral galaxies already existed 2 billion years later. This means that galaxy formation occurred faster than we previously thought.”
This insight could help scientists better understand how spiral galaxies like the Milky Way, Earth’s home galaxy, formed over time.
“Knowing when spiral galaxies formed in the universe is a popular question in astronomy because it helps us understand the evolution and history of the cosmos,” said Vicki Kuhn, a graduate student in Mizzou’s physics and astronomy department who led the investigation.
“Many theoretical ideas exist about how spiral arms form, but the formation mechanisms can vary between different types of spiral galaxies. This new information helps us better match the physical properties of galaxies with theories, creating a more comprehensive cosmic timeline.”
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Vicki Kuhn, a graduate student in Mizzou’s physics and astronomy department, led the research. Kuhn’s passion for studying astronomy began during high school. Credit: Sam O’Keefe/University of Missouri
Using recent images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the scientists found that nearly 30% of galaxies have a spiral structure about 2 billion years after the universe formed. The discovery provides an important update to the universe’s origin story, as previously told using data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.
Studying distant galaxies with JWST gives Guo, Kuhn and other scientists the chance to solve a cosmic puzzle by determining the meaning of each clue.
“Using advanced instruments like JWST, we can study more distant galaxies in more detail than ever before,” Guo said. “A galaxy’s spiral arms are a fundamental feature used by astronomers to categorize galaxies and understand how they form over time. Although we still have many questions about the universe’s past, analyzing this data helps us discover additional clues and deepen our understanding of physics. that have shaped the nature of our universe.”
This study was presented by Kuhn at the 244th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Madison, Wisconsin.
More information:
Vicki Kuhn et al, JWST reveals a surprisingly large fraction of galaxies spiraling at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 4, The astrophysical diary letters (2024). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad43eb
Magazine information:
Astrophysical diary letters