A new image from the James Webb space telescope is providing astronomers with new clues on how the first stars were born.
The image shows a young cluster of stars, NGC 346, which is more than 200,000 light years from Earth, in a dwarf galaxy called the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC).
Astronomers believe this region could help shed light on how the first stars formed during the “cosmic noon” period, about two or three billion years after the Big Bang.
“We're seeing the building blocks, not only of stars but also potentially of planets,” said investigator Guido De Marchi, of the European Space Agency.
“And since the Small Magellanic Cloud has a similar environment to galaxies during cosmic noon, it's possible that rocky planets could have formed earlier in the Universe than we might have thought.”
The SMC, a dwarf galaxy near the Milky Way, and NGC 346 houses clouds of gas and dust in space called protostars, that are developing into stars.
“This is the first time we can detect the full sequence of star formation of both low and high mass stars in another galaxy,” said Olivia Jones, from the UK Astronomy Technology Centre.
“This means we have far more data to study at high resolution, offering us new information on how the birth of stars shapes their environment and even greater insight into the star formation process.”
Studying protostars is the best way to understand how stars formed, the astronomers say.
As stars form, they gather gas and dust, which can look like ribbons from the surrounding molecular cloud. The material collects into a disc that feeds the central protostar.
While astronomers have previously detected gas around protostars within NGC 346, the space telescope’s observations have also detected dust in these discs.
James Webb, the world’s most powerful space telescope, launched in December 2021 and has since been sending back unique views of the Universe.
It has provided remarkable images of Jupiter taken by the telescope’s near-infrared camera, which has special filters to make details of the planet visible.
Infrared instruments help capture radiant energy that is invisible to the human eye but can be detected as heat.
Other images include the Carina Nebula, which shows the birthplace of stars, and the Southern Ring Nebula, where stars are dying, expelling dust and gas in the process.
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Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94
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T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out
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Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
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1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
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