Wednesday 22 February 2023

Observations shed more light on the morphology and environment of a very distant galaxy

Introduction The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has enabled humans to travel farther into space than ever before and offer unprecedented views of galaxies, stars, and other celestial objects. Recently, an international team of astronomers used this revolutionary telescope to conduct near-infrared imaging of GN-z11—one of the most distant galaxies known to date. The results of their observations reveal valuable information about the morphology and environment of this galaxy. What is the James Webb Space Telescope? The James Webb Space Telescope is a next-generation space telescope optimized to observe objects in the infrared spectrum. It is part of a new era of space observation, with the unprecedented capability to observe galaxies and other celestial objects from kilometers away. It was developed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and consists of a 6.5 meter-diameter mirror, as well as a variety of other components. The telescope is set to launch later this year and will become the world’s most powerful space-based observatory. What is GN-z11? GN-z11 is an old, but very distant galaxy. It is located about 13.4 billion light-years away from Earth, making it one of the most distant galaxies known to date. It was discovered using the HST Frontier Fields and the WFC3 near-infrared imaging. It is estimated to be around 400 million years old and has a mass of around 2.5 billion solar masses. What do the observations of GN-z11 reveal? The near-infrared imaging of GN-z11 conducted by the JWST reveals important information regarding the morphology and environment of this galaxy. The astronomers found that it was composed of two distinct regions: a central, compact region and an extended, diffuse region. They also determined that the central region had a low star-formation rate and that the extended region contained a higher star-formation rate. In addition, the observations revealed a wealth of interesting details about the distribution of dust, metal-poor gas, and other material. Finally, the images indicated that the environment of GN-z11 is more extended than previously thought. Conclusion The James Webb Space Telescope has enabled astronomers to see farther into space than ever before, giving them an unprecedented view of galaxies, stars, and other celestial objects. Recently, an international team of astronomers conducted near-infrared imaging of GN-z11—one of the most distant galaxies known to date—with the JWST. The observations of the galaxy revealed new and important details about its morphology and environment, along with a wealth of information about the distribution of dust and metals, and the star-formation rate. These results have helped to expand our understanding of the universe and will aid in the advancement of astrophysical knowledge for years to come.

https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/observations-shed-more-light-on-the-morphology-and-environment-of-a-very-distant-galaxy

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