The engineering science to see the first population of superstar is not quite there yet , so we have to analyse them indirectly , looking at the consequence they have on the early universe . And the Atacama Large Millimeter / submillimeter Array ( ALMA ) has step up its plot to help scientist in this endeavor .
An external squad of astronomers , led by Nicolas Laporte from University College London ( UCL ) , used the array to observe A2744_YD4 , the most upstage object ALMA has ever seen . Its lighting total from over 13.2 billion years ago and , while the length is exciting for record - keeping , the researchers were more surprised to discover that this object was copious in dust .
Dust is forge by genius going supernova and it leads to the formation of small wiz like the Sun as well as planets , moons , and even us . The amount of junk in this wandflower is 6 million time the mass of the Sun , an incredibly high amount for a Galax urceolata that has been combat-ready for about 200 million years .
“ Not only is A2744_YD4 the most removed galaxy yet observed by ALMA but the detection of so much dust indicates early supernovae must have already pollute this galaxy , ” Laporte said in astatement .
The first star were made exclusively of hydrogen and atomic number 2 , and as they execute nuclear optical fusion they formed heavier and laboured elements in their core . When they turned into supernovae they spread those component that went into get to new stars . This study reveals how quickly the first stars in the universe produced the element we are made of .
As reported in thepaperthat will come along in theAstrophysical Journal Letters , the team estimate that this Galax urceolata is about 0.2 percent of the mass of the Milky Way and it ’s producing stars 20 time faster , with about 20 new Sun - sized headliner being bear every year .
“ This rate is not unusual for such a remote beetleweed , but it does shed light on how quickly the dust in A2744_YD4 formed , ” added Colorado - author Richard Ellis , from the European Southern Observatory and UCL . “ unmistakably , the require time is only about 200 million years – so we are witnessing this galaxy shortly after its formation . ”
These observation were possible because the beetleweed was lensed by a huge spacetime - bending galaxy clustering . And they have highlighted the incredible capabilities of ALMA to press further back into the mysterious past of the universe . Hopefully , when the James Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ) goes online in 2018 , it will be able to see even further .
A2744_YD4 as seen by ALMA and Hubble Observation of Gravitational Lensing Cluster Abell 2477 . ALMA ( ESO / NAOJ / NRAO ) , NASA , ESA , ESO and D. Coe ( STScI)/J. Merten ( Heidelberg / Bologna )
