Astronomers Report Evidence of Early Universe Stars in Galaxy Hebe

Astronomers have identified characteristics in galaxy Hebe that suggest it contains some of the universe's earliest stars. These stars, observed via the James Webb Space Telescope, appear to consist primarily of hydrogen and helium, lacking heavier elements. The findings were reported by a team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge.

The galaxy Hebe existed approximately 400 million years after the big bang. Its light spectrum shows a concentration around a frequency linked to ionized helium, which requires extremely hot stars to produce. An additional spectral line for ionized hydrogen was detected from the same source, supporting the initial observations.

Initial Discovery and

Confirmation Hebe was first spotted in 2024 using the James Webb Space Telescope.

Initial data indicated a potential ionized helium line, but further observations were needed to confirm it and rule out contamination from other sources. The team conducted additional scrutiny to verify the detections. Roberto Maiolino at the University of Cambridge stated that Population III stars provide the most plausible explanation for the observations.

He noted that other explanations do not fit the data well. Hannah Übler at Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich in Germany described the confirmation process, emphasizing the absence of lines indicating heavier elements.

Implications for Early Universe Studies

Daniel Whalen at the University of Portsmouth in the UK said the results are compelling and align with expectations for Population III stars, though precision limits prevent ruling out trace heavier elements entirely.

Simulations of the early universe typically show such stars forming in isolated clusters, which contrasts with the density suggested in Hebe. The team used observations to model the masses of these potential Population III stars, estimating most range from 10 to 100 times the sun's mass. 20363.

Additional studies could provide more details on the early universe's star formation processes.