James Webb identifies rare chemical element in distant galaxy

2023-10-28 08:40:00

Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers were able to detect tellurium, a rare chemical element, after the merger of two neutron stars about 1 billion light-years away from Earth. The study was published in the journal Nature. The discovery could help researchers better understand the conditions under which rare chemical elements are created in the Universe.

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Neutron stars merged into a kilonova

Scientists believe that the neutron stars analyzed by James Webb left their galaxies over time until they reached the place where they were found.Despite the movement, the pair remained gravitationally linked and merged into a single body many hundreds of millions of years later. This phenomenon was verified on March 7th of this year, according to scientists. The information is from Space.com.Artistic representation of the James Webb Space Telescope (Image: 24K-Production/Shutterstock)

James Webb found tellurium in the cloud of material around the merger

According to the study, the violent cosmic merger, known to astronomers as a kilonova, caused a burst of gamma rays. The glow was first detected by NASA’s Fermi space observatory and lasted a record 200 seconds. Similar flashes from previous star mergers diffused in just two seconds.

Based on the observation, scientists used James Webb to identify the source of this phenomenon. According to researchers, the space telescope helped identify tellurium in the cloud of material surrounding the merger.

The research also highlights that the equipment is fundamental in the work of identifying other even rarer chemical materials in space. And that this will help science to have a better understanding of the Universe.