Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have identified the most distant galaxy ever observed, providing an unprecedented glimpse into the first few hundred million years of cosmic history. The galaxy, designated MoM-z14, was observed as it existed around 280 million years after the Big Bang, with its light taking more than 13.5 billion years to reach Earth.

MoM-z14’s redshift — a measure of how much the universe has expanded since the light was emitted — has been confirmed at z ≈ 14.44, surpassing previous record holders and extending the observational horizon closer than ever toward what is known as the cosmic dawn. This era marks the formation of the universe’s earliest galaxies when neutral hydrogen was first being ionised by the first stars and galaxies.

The discovery challenges established scientific expectations. MoM-z14 appears brighter, more compact, and more chemically enriched than models had predicted for such a young galaxy, suggesting that star formation and chemical evolution in the early universe may have progressed faster than theorised. Notably, the galaxy displays elevated levels of heavy elements such as nitrogen — unexpected in a period so close to the universe’s birth.

Also Read: AI-Based System Enables Continuous Home Health Monitoring By Doctors

Gravitational lensing — the bending and magnification of light by a massive foreground galaxy cluster — played a critical role in making MoM-z14 visible to JWST’s infrared instruments. This effect acts like a natural cosmic telescope, allowing Webb to detect extremely faint and distant galaxies that would otherwise be beyond reach.

The observation of MoM-z14 follows earlier JWST discoveries of galaxies at redshifts above 14, including JADES-GS-z14-0 (z ≈ 14.32), which was previously the most distant confirmed galaxy detected at roughly 290 million years after the Big Bang. These results stem from deep spectroscopy and infrared imaging using Webb’s NIRSpec and NIRCam instruments.

Astronomers emphasise that these discoveries not only push the boundaries of observable space and time but also provide fundamental data for refining models of early galaxy formation, evolution, and the nature of the universe’s first luminous structures. Continued observations with JWST will further probe the era of reionisation and may uncover galaxies even closer in time to the Big Bang.

Also Read: Oppo K14x 5G: Full Specs, Features, Expected Price And India Launch Timeline