Title: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Discovers Farthest and Hottest Star Ever Detected
Subtitle: Earendel’s Extreme Magnification Offers Glimpse into Early Universe
Date: [Insert Date]
Scientists using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying the farthest star ever detected in the universe. Named Earendel, this exceptionally hot star is located behind what NASA describes as “a wrinkle in space-time” and shines with over double the intensity of our Sun, making it about a million times more luminous.
Earendel was first spotted by the Hubble Space Telescope last year, but it is only visible due to the magnifying effect created by the massive galaxy cluster, Sunrise Arc, which bends and warps space. The James Webb Space Telescope, launched earlier this year, has now provided further insights into this distant celestial body. Despite detecting other faraway stars, none have approached the remarkable distance of Earendel.
NASA states, “The discoveries have opened a new realm of the universe to stellar physics, and new subject matter to scientists studying the early universe, where once galaxies were the smallest detectable cosmic objects.” This breakthrough has fueled hopes that it could lead to the eventual detection of the very first generation of stars, composed purely of the raw elements produced during the big bang.
Due to its significant distance from Earth, scientists estimate that it took 12.9 billion years for the light emitted by Earendel to reach us. This means the star was born when the universe was less than a billion years old. Today, Earendel is situated an astounding 28 billion light-years away.
The distinct colors observed by the James Webb Telescope indicate that Earendel may also have a cooler, redder companion star. Nicknamed the “morning star” or “rising light” in Old English, this remarkable star system continues to offer scientists invaluable insights into the past and the building blocks of the early cosmos.
Earendel’s record-breaking distance beats the previous longest and most distant star observed by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2018, aptly named Icarus. Light from Icarus required a staggering 9 billion years to reach Earth.
Victoria Strait, co-author of the initial study on Earendel, commented on the significance of this discovery, stating, “As we peer into the cosmos, we also look back in time, so these extreme high-resolution observations allow us to understand the building blocks of some of the very first galaxies.”
The James Webb Space Telescope’s ongoing mission to uncover the mysteries of the universe promises even more groundbreaking discoveries, further expanding our understanding of celestial phenomena and the origins of our universe.