The James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa
The James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa
The James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa
The James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa

UAE

James Webb Space Telescope captures oldest galaxies ever observed

The findings will help astronomers learn more about the early universe

Sarwat Nasir
Sarwat Nasir

April 05, 2023

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The James Webb Space Telescope has captured galaxies that were formed only 350 million years after the birth of the universe — the oldest ones ever observed.

An international team of astronomers used data from the $10 billion telescope to make the discovery, with findings published in two studies, including in science journal Nature Astronomy and another on the European Space Agency website on Tuesday.

The data shows the universe when it was only two per cent of its current age.

“It was crucial to prove that these galaxies do, indeed, inhabit the early universe. It’s very possible for closer galaxies to masquerade as very distant galaxies,” said astronomer and co-author Emma Curtis-Lake from the University of Hertfordshire.

“Seeing the spectrum revealed as we hoped, confirming these galaxies as being at the true edge of our view, some further away than Hubble could see. It is a tremendously exciting achievement for the mission.”

Spectroscopic results from the James Webb Space Telescope that shows galaxies in the early universe. Photo: ESAWebb.org
Spectroscopic results from the James Webb Space Telescope that shows galaxies in the early universe. Photo: ESAWebb.org

The light from these galaxies has taken more than 13.4 billion years to reach us.

This has also helped confirm that the world’s most powerful telescope can make such observations using light from ancient galaxies that has been travelling through our universe for billions of years.

Astronomers used the telescope’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam) and the near-infrared spectrograph (NIRSpec) to make the observations.

Helping to unravel mysteries of the universe

“For the first time, we have discovered galaxies only 350 million years after the big bang, and we can be absolutely confident of their fantastic distances,” said co-author Brant Robertson from the University of California Santa Cruz.

Even though the galaxies are extremely faint because of how far they are, it would still help astronomers explore their properties.

Astronomer Sandro Tachella from the University of Cambridge in the UK, said that the telescope could unlock many mysteries of the universe.

“It is hard to understand galaxies without understanding the initial periods of their development," he said.

"Much as with humans, so much of what happens later depends on the impact of these early generations of stars."

Read more

James Webb: new images from Nasa telescope show star birth and galaxy clusters in detail

James Webb Space Telescope will ‘transform our understanding of the universe’

The telescope was launched on Christmas Day, 2021, to help reveal secrets of the universe and how it was formed.

The first image from the telescope was revealed by US President Joe Biden on July 11. It showed the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 as it was 4.6 billion years ago.

Researchers have also been using the telescope to learn more about the solar system and its planets.

Last year, images that showed planet Jupiter in striking detail were released.

The planet, which is believed to have 79 moons, has a unique composition and inner structure that researchers want to study more.

Its atmosphere is made up of mostly hydrogen gas and helium gas, just like the Sun.

The gas giant is covered in thick red, brown, yellow and white clouds, which make it look like the planet has stripes.

Startling discoveries by $10bn space telescope — in pictures

Uranus is surrounded by 13 rings and 27 small moons as it rotates at a nearly 90-degree angle from the plane of its orbit. Photo: Nasa
Uranus is surrounded by 13 rings and 27 small moons as it rotates at a nearly 90-degree angle from the plane of its orbit. Photo: Nasa
Complex organic molecules similar to smoke or smog in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years from Earth. Photo: Nasa
Complex organic molecules similar to smoke or smog in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years from Earth. Photo: Nasa
A delicate image of dust structures and bright star clusters taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa
A delicate image of dust structures and bright star clusters taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. Photo: Nasa
Saturn has seven rings with several gaps and divisions between them, as well as 53 known moons. Photo: Nasa
Saturn has seven rings with several gaps and divisions between them, as well as 53 known moons. Photo: Nasa
Star cluster NGC 346, spiral galaxies NGC 1672 and Messier 74, and the Pillars of Creation, towering tendrils of cosmic dust and gas at the heart of the Eagle Nebula. Photo: Nasa
Star cluster NGC 346, spiral galaxies NGC 1672 and Messier 74, and the Pillars of Creation, towering tendrils of cosmic dust and gas at the heart of the Eagle Nebula. Photo: Nasa
An infrared image of Neptune, the only planet in our solar system not visible to the naked eye. Photo: Nasa
An infrared image of Neptune, the only planet in our solar system not visible to the naked eye. Photo: Nasa
Every eight years, the two stars in this image are brought together by their orbits – creating colliding streams of gas that, under the right conditions, form a new ring of dust. Photo: Nasa
Every eight years, the two stars in this image are brought together by their orbits – creating colliding streams of gas that, under the right conditions, form a new ring of dust. Photo: Nasa
A part of the Orion Nebula known as the Orion Bar. Photo: Nasa
A part of the Orion Nebula known as the Orion Bar. Photo: Nasa
A crowded field of galaxies, along with stars crowned with the James Webb Space Telescope's signature six-pointed diffraction spikes. Photo: Nasa
A crowded field of galaxies, along with stars crowned with the James Webb Space Telescope's signature six-pointed diffraction spikes. Photo: Nasa
The NGC 3256 spiral galaxy was formed after a collision of two massive galaxies about 500 million years ago. Photo: Nasa
The NGC 3256 spiral galaxy was formed after a collision of two massive galaxies about 500 million years ago. Photo: Nasa
The Wolf-Rayet 124 star, featured in an image combining near-infrared and mid-infrared wavelengths of light. Photo: Nasa
The Wolf-Rayet 124 star, featured in an image combining near-infrared and mid-infrared wavelengths of light. Photo: Nasa
An hourglass-shaped cloud of dust and gas is illuminated by light from a protostar. Photo: Nasa
An hourglass-shaped cloud of dust and gas is illuminated by light from a protostar. Photo: Nasa
Two views of the Southern Ring Nebula, which show the planetary nebula as a misshapen oval. Photo: Nasa
Two views of the Southern Ring Nebula, which show the planetary nebula as a misshapen oval. Photo: Nasa
A composite image of the Cartwheel Galaxy captured by the James Webb Space Telescope in August 2022. AFP
A composite image of the Cartwheel Galaxy captured by the James Webb Space Telescope in August 2022. AFP
A cluster of stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, near the Milky Way. Photo: JWST
A cluster of stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, near the Milky Way. Photo: JWST
A colour composite image of the Messier 74 galaxy. Photo: JWST
A colour composite image of the Messier 74 galaxy. Photo: JWST
The gravity of galaxy cluster MACS0647 bends and magnifies light from the more distant MACS0647-JD. Photo: Nasa
The gravity of galaxy cluster MACS0647 bends and magnifies light from the more distant MACS0647-JD. Photo: Nasa
The 'Pillars of Creation' — clouds of hydrogen gas and dust 6,500 light years from Earth — captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, left, and James Webb Space Telescope. AP
The 'Pillars of Creation' — clouds of hydrogen gas and dust 6,500 light years from Earth — captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, left, and James Webb Space Telescope. AP
Dust rings resembling a fingerprint created by a rare type of star and its companion. PA
Dust rings resembling a fingerprint created by a rare type of star and its companion. PA
Images of the asteroid Dimorphos hours after Nasa crashed a spacecraft into it in September 2022. EPA
Images of the asteroid Dimorphos hours after Nasa crashed a spacecraft into it in September 2022. EPA
Neptune and seven of its 14 known moons. AFP
Neptune and seven of its 14 known moons. AFP
Thousands of young stars in a stellar nursery called the Tarantula Nebula. Photo: Nasa
Thousands of young stars in a stellar nursery called the Tarantula Nebula. Photo: Nasa
A image of an exoplanet — a gas giant with no rocky surface. Photo: Nasa, ESA and CSA
A image of an exoplanet — a gas giant with no rocky surface. Photo: Nasa, ESA and CSA
Glass-z13, the oldest galaxy to be detected, was formed about 300 million years after the Big Bang. Photo: JWST
Glass-z13, the oldest galaxy to be detected, was formed about 300 million years after the Big Bang. Photo: JWST
Jupiter and its moon Europa. Photo: Nasa
Jupiter and its moon Europa. Photo: Nasa
Jupiter and its moons Europa, Thebe and Metis. Photo: Nasa
Jupiter and its moons Europa, Thebe and Metis. Photo: Nasa
Another image of Jupiter and some of its 79 moons. Photo: Nasa
Another image of Jupiter and some of its 79 moons. Photo: Nasa
An image of galaxy cluster Smacs 0723 taken by the James Webb telescope. Photo: Nasa
An image of galaxy cluster Smacs 0723 taken by the James Webb telescope. Photo: Nasa
Stephan’s Quintet is an area in space that has five galaxies. Photo: JWST
Stephan’s Quintet is an area in space that has five galaxies. Photo: JWST
The 'Cosmic Cliffs' of the Carina Nebula. Photo: JWST
The 'Cosmic Cliffs' of the Carina Nebula. Photo: JWST
An anniversary image shows the birth of a star in the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, the closest star-forming region to Earth. Photo: Nasa
An anniversary image shows the birth of a star in the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, the closest star-forming region to Earth. Photo: Nasa
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Mohamed bin Zayed Majlis
PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana

Stars: 3

The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

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THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company profile

Name: Oulo.com

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Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

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Updated: April 05, 2023, 1:01 PM`
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