Astronomers Discover Possible “Dark Stars” Powered by Dark Matter
In a groundbreaking finding, astronomers studying ancient light captured by the Webb Space Telescope have identified three pinpricks of light that could potentially be “dark stars.” These mysterious objects are theorized to be powered by dark matter, a substance that makes up approximately 27% of the universe.
The discovery was made as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), which aims to understand the evolution of cosmic structures like galaxies by analyzing extremely ancient light. The three targets, named JADES-GS-z13-0, JADES-GS-z12-0, and JADES-GS-z11-0, were initially identified as galaxies in December 2022. However, the recent research team suggests that they may actually be never-before-seen dark stars.
These objects, dating back to a time when the universe was between 320 million and 400 million years old, are believed to be powered by the collisions of dark matter particles rather than nuclear fusion. Dark matter, while not literally dark, gets its name from being nearly impossible to detect. Its presence is observed through its gravitational effects, such as the bending and focusing of ancient light.
While scientists are still unsure about the exact nature of dark matter, there are a few leading candidates. One possibility is Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), theoretical particles that have mass but interact only minimally with ordinary matter. Another candidate is the axion, a hypothetical particle that behaves more like a wave than a particle.
Recent observations of Einstein rings, which are formed when distant light is strongly gravitationally lensed, have provided evidence supporting the existence of axionic dark matter. However, the research team studying the three potential dark stars believes that WIMPs may be responsible for these objects. According to their theory, WIMPs at the cores of dark stars collide and annihilate each other, releasing heat energy that causes the objects to shine brightly.
If confirmed, the discovery of dark stars powered by dark matter would have significant implications for our understanding of the universe. Katherine Freese, an astrophysicist at the University of Texas at Austin and co-author of the study, stated that “discovering it’s dark matter that’s powering this—that would be huge.” The simulations of galaxy formation would align better with observations if some early galaxies are indeed dark stars.
Dark stars were first proposed in 2008, but their existence has eluded scientists until now. The Webb Space Telescope’s ability to capture clear views of ancient light has provided an opportunity to study these enigmatic objects. The theorized dark stars would be cool, puffy, and potentially up to ten billion times more luminous than the Sun.
Astrophysicists often propose various mathematical solutions for phenomena that challenge our understanding of the cosmos. Dark matter and its candidates, like axions and WIMPs, serve as possible explanations for observed anomalies. While these objects and concepts remain theoretical, they offer valuable insights into the unsolved mysteries of the universe.
Further observations with the Webb Space Telescope will allow scientists to gain a deeper understanding of these ancient light sources. Whether they turn out to be galaxies or indeed dark stars powered by dark matter, our knowledge of the universe is on the brink of significant advancement.