JWST has seen intracluster light ( ICL ) , the very faint expelling produce by stars pulled out of their galaxies as these cosmic island interact inside a cluster . see this light has big import not just for understand the evolution of galaxies and galaxy clusters , but also for a mystery all important to our whole intellect of the cosmea .
JWST ’s deep field image of SMACS - J0723.3 - 7327 was thefirst science observation publishedfrom the space observatory . Its pungency is unbelievable and twice as deep as what we can seewith Hubble . Given that JWST see the cosmos in infrared light , the notice countenance for the study of galaxies that are much further away .
As the universe expands , the sparkle of distant galaxies is “ stretched ” and push towards ruby-red wavelengths in a phenomenon similar to the Christian Johann Doppler sack we can discover from , say , a blow over ambulance where the pitching changes whether it ’s come near or proceed aside from you .
Image of the JWST’s First Deep Field that has made it possible to study the intra-cluster light of the SMACS-J0723.3-7327 cluster. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
" In this written report , we show the great electric potential of JWST for observing an object which is so faint , " Mireia Montes , the first author of the clause , said in astatementfrom the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias . " This will let us canvas galaxy clusters which are much further aside , and in much greater detail . "
Now , while JWST is great , this light is still extremely weak and the galaxies in the cluster are highly vivid so the project is not accomplished by observance alone . It also requires techniques to analyze the observations in a way that the emission can be isolated from the more lucent sources in the simulacrum . The data obtained paints a picture of how the galaxy cluster is evolving .
" Analyzing this diffuse light we find that the inside parts of the clustering are being constitute by a fusion of massive galaxies , while the outer parts are due to the accumulation of galax standardized to our Milky Way , " explained Montes .
But Galax urceolata evolution is not the only crucial factor here . Our well reason of the universe need the mien of an invisible ( and still hypothetical ) substance know asdark matterthat only interacts gravitationally , so it does not clump and it stretches around galaxies . In a beetleweed clump , with 100 if not thousands of galaxy , dark matter pass around across and around the whole bunch , and the ICL is a way to trace it .
" The JWST will let us qualify the distribution of the glowering issue in these enormous anatomical structure with unprecedented precision , and throw light on its basic nature , " conclude Ignacio Trujillo , the second author of the clause .
The clause is published inThe Astrophysical Journal Letters .
