JADES-GS-z7-01-QU

JADES-GS-z7-01-QU
JADES-GS-z7-01-QU shown in inset
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Fornax
Right ascension	3^h 32^m 27.3^s
Declination	−27° 48′ 6.81″
Redshift	7.29 ± 0.01
Characteristics
Mass	4×10^8 to 6×10^8 M☉
Half-light radius (physical)	650 light-years (200 pc)
Notable features	Oldest and most distant "dead" galaxy so far discovered
Other designations
JADES-GS+53.15508-27.80178

JADES-GS-z7-01-QU (also known as JADES-GS+53.15508-27.80178)^[1] is a Lyman-break galaxy, first identified in 2010,^[2] located in the constellation Fornax. It formed around 700 million years after the birth of the universe, after which it suddenly stopped creating new stars.^[3] It experienced rapid star formation around 80 million years before the epoch of observation, lasting for at least 30 million years, before ending around 10-20 million years before the epoch of observation. It is the oldest and most distant "dead" galaxy so far discovered.^[2][4]

Discovery

It was first discovered in 2010 and identified as a Lyman-break galaxy using imaging by Oesch et al.,^[5] but was too faint for spectroscopy observations – particularly at the rest-frame optical wavelengths necessary to confirm quiescence. In 2022, following the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the galaxy was observed with the JWST camera NIRCam and spectrograph NIRSpec/MSA as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), which found it to be quenched (i.e., non star-forming) and with a relatively low stellar mass, around the same as the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC).^[4][2]

Properties

The JWST's NIRSpec observed it to have a very blue spectrum with a U-V colour of 0.16 ± 0.03 mag, a Balmer break, and no nebular emission lines.^[1]

Implications

Usually, such quenching of star formation occurs either in very low-mass galaxies, or much later in the universe's timeline. However, the discovery implies that the current models of galaxy evolution may be incomplete or inaccurate.^[6]

References

1. Looser, Tobias J.; et al. (45) (27 February 2024). "A recently quenched galaxy 700 million years after the Big Bang". arXiv:2302.14155 [astro-ph.GA].
2. Nowakowski, Tomasz (9 March 2023). "New quiescent galaxy discovered with JWST". Phys.org. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
3. "Astronomers spot oldest 'dead' galaxy that stopped forming stars 700 million years after Big Bang". Euronews. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
4. "Astronomers spot oldest 'dead' galaxy yet observed". Phys.org. University of Cambridge. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
5. Oesch, P. A.; Bouwens, R. J.; Illingworth, G. D.; Carollo, C. M.; Franx, M.; Labbé, I.; Magee, D.; Stiavelli, M.; Trenti, M.; van Dokkum, P. G. (28 December 2009). "z ∼ 7 GALAXIES IN THE HUDF: FIRST EPOCH WFC3/IR RESULTS". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 709 (1): L16 – L20. arXiv:0909.1806. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/709/1/L16.
6. Nelson, Jessica (6 March 2024). "A Glimpse into Cosmic History: James Webb Telescope Uncovers the Universe's Oldest 'Dead' Galaxy". Medriva. Retrieved 7 March 2024.