Since it became operational last summer, the James Webb Space Telescope has created quite
a stir. It is a scientific trailblazer, revealing remarkable details about galaxies, planets, stars,
and other fascinating cosmic objects. Although the telescope is still in the early stages of
its cosmic expedition, it has already made a profound impact. And Webb, billed as the
successor to the venerable Hubble Space Telescope, is also breaking new territory in terms of science
excitement. People all across the world are sharing its images and creating fresh insights
by modifying raw data. However, Neil deGrasse Tyson recently disclosed an unusual revelation
made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope, which calls into question everything we thought we
knew about the cosmos. What did Tyson reveal, and what is this JWST discovery? Join us as we unravel
the latest terrifying discovery by the JWST! The Hubble Space Telescope has revolutionized
our understanding of the universe through its captivating discoveries, ranging from
the magnificent Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula to the mind-boggling Hubble Ultra Deep
Field, which captured the farthest galaxies ever observed. These extraordinary findings,
including insights into the universe's age and evidence for the existence of black holes, have
reshaped our understanding. However, astronomers and scientists have continually sought greater
capabilities and a deeper understanding of the cosmos. In response to this quest, the James Webb
Space Telescope has emerged as a remarkable technological achievement, poised to surpass
its predecessor in every conceivable aspect. And it is indeed delivering on this promise!
Over the past few months, the JWST has made numerous discoveries, with a recent revelation
being the detection of 717 ancient galaxies that illuminated the universe during its early stages.
According to a new study conducted as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES),
these remarkably young galaxies exhibited intricate structures and clusters of star
formation as early as 600 million years after the Big Bang. The study involved observing two
small areas in the sky: one in the Ursa Minor constellation and another in the
direction of the Fornax cluster. Within these regions, more than 700 previously
unknown youthful galaxies were discovered, providing insights into the early cosmos.
Kevin Hainline, an assistant research professor at the Steward Observatory in Arizona and a lead
author of the study, expressed the significance of these findings by likening the universe's entire
timeline to a two-hour movie, with the observed galaxies representing the first five minutes. He
emphasized that these galaxies mark the beginning of the processes responsible for creating the
elements and complexity observed in the present world. During this short span of time, estimated
to be between 370 million and 650 million years since the Big Bang, Hainline and his colleagues
examined the JWST data and identified 717 young galaxies, surpassing previous predictions.
Remarkably, these galaxies spanned thousands of light-years, exhibited intricate structures, and
were actively forming stars in multiple clusters. "Previously, the earliest galaxies we could
see just looked like little smudges. And yet those smudges represent millions or
even billions of stars at the beginning of the universe," Hainline said in a statement. "Now,
we can see that some of them are actually extended objects with visible structure."
The combined areas investigated in this analysis are collectively known as GOODS-South,
which stands for The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey. These regions have been
extensively examined by major space telescopes, including Hubble, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory,
and NASA's retired Spitzer. Despite the thorough previous investigations, an astounding 93% of
the newly discovered galaxies identified by the JWST during JADES had never been observed before.
But that's not the only noteworthy discovery made by the JWST recently. In the previous
month, Webb detected indications of water vapor in the atmosphere of an exoplanet,
specifically a gas giant, that orbits its star in less than one Earth Day.
The exoplanet in question, named WASP-18 b, is a gas giant approximately 10 times more massive than
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. WASP-18 b exhibits extreme characteristics as it
revolves around the sun-like star WASP-18, situated approximately 400 light-years away
from Earth. The planet maintains an average distance from its star of only 1.9 million
miles (3.1 million kilometers), in contrast to Mercury, the innermost planet of our solar system,
which orbits the sun at a distance of 39.4 million miles (63.4 million km).
Due to its remarkably close proximity to the parent star, the temperatures in the
atmosphere of WASP-18 b are exceedingly high, causing most water molecules to dissociate,
as stated by NASA. The ability of the JWST to detect remnants of water vapor in such
circumstances is a testament to the remarkable observational capabilities of the telescope.
"The spectrum of the planet’s atmosphere clearly shows multiple small but precisely
measured water features, present despite the extreme temperatures of almost 5,000 degrees
Fahrenheit (2,700 degrees Celsius)," NASA wrote in the statement. "It’s so hot that it would tear
most water molecules apart, so still seeing its presence speaks to Webb’s extraordinary
sensitivity to detect remaining water." WASP-18 b, which was first discovered in 2008,
has been the subject of investigation by various telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope,
NASA's Chandra X-ray space telescope, the exoplanet hunter TESS, and the now-retired
Spitzer Space Telescope. However, none of these space telescopes possessed the
necessary sensitivity to detect water signatures in the planet's atmosphere.
According to Anjali Piette, a postdoctoral fellow at the Carnegie Institution for Science,
the subtle water features in the spectrum of WASP-18 b were challenging to identify
in previous observations. Thus, the detection of water features through the
JWST observations brought about great excitement. Apart from its significant mass, extreme heat,
and close proximity to its parent star, WASP-18 b is also tidally locked, meaning one side of
the planet constantly faces the star, similar to the near side of the moon always facing Earth.
Consequently, there are considerable temperature variations across the surface of the planet. The
measurements conducted by the Webb telescope allowed scientists to map these temperature
differences in detail for the first time. The findings revealed that the most intensely
illuminated regions of the planet can be up to 2,000 degrees F (1,100 degrees C) hotter than the
areas in the twilight zone. The existence of such substantial temperature variations was unexpected,
leading scientists to speculate that there may be an as-yet-unknown mechanism preventing the
even distribution of heat around the planet. Moving on to another remarkable discovery made
by the JWST, Neil deGrasse Tyson recently shared a mind-boggling revelation about trillions of
disappearing stars detected by the telescope. By analyzing these vanishing stars, astronomers
gain access to unprecedented information that would have remained hidden otherwise.
Researchers meticulously explore the vanishing stars by carefully examining their patterns,
wavelengths of emitted light, spectral characteristics, and distinctive features
to comprehend the underlying mechanisms behind their celestial disappearances.
Various theories attempt to explain the phenomenon of trillions of disappearing stars. One intriguing
hypothesis, proposed by astrophysicists and Neil deGrasse Tyson, suggests that galactic mergers
and interactions may be responsible. According to this theory, when galaxies collide or come close
together, the gravitational interactions between their stars can significantly impact their orbits
and configurations. Consequently, disturbances and disruptions occur within the stellar systems,
resulting in the displacement or ejection of stars from their original positions.
During galactic mergers, stars can be forcefully expelled from their galaxies and traverse new
paths in space. These wandering stars may venture into unobservable regions of the universe,
seemingly vanishing from our observations and adding to the mystery. The powerful
gravitational forces unleashed during these cosmic encounters reshape the physical structures and
dynamics of the galaxies involved, ultimately determining the fate of individual stars.
The hypothesis of galactic mergers and interactions provides a plausible mechanism
for the observed phenomenon, emphasizing the substantial consequences of galaxy
mergers and collisions on star distribution and visibility. By studying the characteristics of
galactic interactions and their impact on stellar systems, astrophysicists can unravel the complex
dynamics driving the disappearance of stars. Continual observations, investigations,
computer simulations, and modeling yield valuable insights into the plausibility of this hypothesis.
Scientists not only theorize but also test and experiment based on these theories. These
tools allow researchers to recreate the conditions of galactic mergers, simulate
disruptions in stellar systems, and analyze the outcomes in comparison with observational data.
This approach enables scientists to evaluate the likelihood and implications of galactic
interactions as contributing factors to the phenomenon of disappearing stars.
The hypothesis of galactic mergers and interactions, though compelling,
is just one among several proposed theories by astrophysicists. Numerous ideas await exploration.
Another theory considers cosmic explosions and supernovae as potential explanations
for the disappearing stars. Supernovae, marking the end of massive stars, release
immense energy and profoundly impact their fate. As a massive star nears the end of its life cycle,
it undergoes a complex transformation. The core collapses, triggering a fusion reaction
that culminates in a colossal explosion. This explosion obliterates the star,
releasing an extraordinary amount of energy. Even if the star could have survived a little longer,
it would succumb to the collapse itself. If a star within our reach experiences such a catastrophic
event, it would cease emitting detectable light, effectively vanishing from our view.
However, what if some stars suddenly wink out of visibility? Based on our current knowledge, that
should be impossible. Yet, a group of astronomers has been investigating whether such seemingly
impossible events actually occur. They compare decades of data to shed light on this phenomenon.
Since its establishment in 2017, the VASCO project (Vanishing and Appearing Sources during a Century
of Observations) has captivated scientists. Beatriz Villarroel from the Nordic Institute
for Theoretical Physics in Sweden explains their interest in studying various disappearing objects.
Their ideal scenario involves discovering a star that has consistently been visible for
as long as records exist, only to suddenly vanish without a trace, even when observed
with the most powerful telescopes available. The project has attracted astronomers from
different fields, recognizing the potential of exploring historical records. Experts in active
galactic nuclei, stellar physicists, and SETI scientists, among others,
have all found reasons to participate. While our current understanding suggests
that stars change at a slow pace and significant disappearances should leave evidence, it is
important to note that not all stars shine with constant brightness. Variable stars fill the sky,
undergoing pulsations and fluctuations in luminosity. However, VASCO focuses on
identifying stars that transition from complete stability to complete vanishing, a phenomenon that
lacks extensive documentation. Such a discovery could lead to new understandings in physics.
What are your thoughts on these recent discoveries by the JWST? Share your comments below.