Astronomers Map Cosmic Web Back to Universe's First Billion Years
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Astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have created a detailed map of the cosmic web—the structure of dark matter and gas filaments connecting galaxies. The team traced this structure back to when the universe was only about one billion years old, using data from the largest JWST survey to date. They have released their map-building tools, a catalog of 164,000 galaxies, and a video showing the web's evolution to the public.
Facts First
- Astronomers used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to create a detailed map of the cosmic web.
- The map traces the structure of dark matter and gas filaments back to when the universe was roughly one billion years old.
- The work is based on data from COSMOS-Web, the largest General Observer (GO) program and JWST survey conducted to date.
- The research team released its map-building pipeline, a catalog of 164,000 galaxies and their cosmic density, and a video to the public.
- The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal in a paper led by researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR).
What Happened
A research team led by astronomers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to create a detailed map of the cosmic web. This structure is made of filaments and sheets of dark matter and gas that surround voids and connect galaxies. The team traced this web back to a time when the universe was approximately one billion years old. They used data from the COSMOS-Web survey, the largest General Observer (GO) program and JWST survey conducted to date, which covers a continuous section of sky roughly equal in size to three full Moons. The team has released its map-building pipeline, a catalog of 164,000 galaxies and their cosmic density, and a video showing the cosmic web's evolution to the public.
Why this Matters to You
This map provides a new, foundational view of the universe's large-scale structure, which is essential for understanding how galaxies form and evolve over cosmic time. The public release of the data and tools means scientists worldwide can build upon this work, accelerating discoveries about the universe's history. For you, this represents a step forward in humanity's quest to understand our cosmic origins, a fundamental question that connects to culture, philosophy, and science.
What's Next
The released catalog of 164,000 galaxies and the map-building pipeline will likely be used by astronomers globally for further research. Scientists may use this detailed map to test theories of galaxy formation and the nature of dark matter. The continued operation of JWST could allow for even more detailed surveys, potentially mapping the cosmic web at even earlier times in the universe's history.