Using the Webb telescope, astronomers have found what appear to be six large galaxies as old as our own, but much more compact.
Galaxies can date back 300 million years after the beginning of the universe 13.8 billion years ago. At that time, the universe was about 3% of its current size. The discovery was announced in the journal Nature on Wednesday.
Astrophysicist Ivo Lap at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia and his team are behind the discovery. He was expecting to find small galaxies, but he found something completely different.
The six galaxies appear to have a mass about the size of the Milky Way, but are 30 times more massive.
– While most galaxies in this era are still young and gradually growing over time, there are a few monsters that are reaching maturity at a rapid pace. It’s not known why this happens or how it works, Lappi says.
– If the Milky Way were a medium-sized adult, say 175 cm tall and weighing 70 kg, these one-year-olds would weigh about the same, but measure only 7 centimeters. He says the early universe is a freak show.
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