January 7, 2025

Caroline Cronin

9th Grade

Fairfax High School

Introduction

For decades, NASA has made history many times over, from landing humans on the Moon to launching satellites into Earth's orbit. Its groundbreaking projects have captivated the public while collecting invaluable information on the reaches of space. NASA’s most recent contribution to humanity’s knowledge of the cosmos is unlike its prior discoveries: a distant galaxy billions of years old that can be traced to the very first stars seen in the night sky. The “new” discovery, JADES-GS-z14-0, is a galaxy that formed just 290 million years after the Big Bang. This mysterious galaxy, a hidden gem nestled within the depths of space, has raised many questions and led to deeper studies of the early universe. 

The James Webb Space Telescope: The Technology That Made This Discovery Possible

The various intricate details that made up the project were tested thoroughly to ensure no errors would occur once the JWST launched. The construction of the telescope was divided into two parts: the Optical Telescope Element and the Spacecraft. In 2019, the pieces of the JWST were combined, with final testing being completed over the next year. The final testing that took place in 2020 was to ensure that the JWST would survive the extreme turbulence of the launch. On December 25, 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope was finally launched, with data collection beginning five minutes later. The first pictures from the JWST were received six months later, with colorized images being released by President Biden in 2022. 

Our “Newest” Oldest Galaxy: JADES-GS-z14-0

In May of 2024, three years after its launch, the JWST used its Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) to discover JADES-GS-z14-0. The “JADES” is derived from the abbreviated “JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey.” This is the earliest galaxy known to man, coming into existence 290 million years after the Big Bang, according to BBC’s “Sky at Night” Magazine. When measuring how the light emitted by JADES-GS-z14-0 extended over space, the wavelengths observed were at a redshift of 14. These long wavelengths were detected using the JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). 

Conclusion

The brilliant discovery of JADES-GS-z14-0 has many astronomers and scientists excited, raising further questions about the vast expanses of the cosmos. Because of the impressive advancement in technology that is the JWST, many hope that this discovery is the beginning of an era of learning and knowledge. As science continues to modernize and move forward, new observations and findings will be reported, and the world will be dazzled by the intergalactic mysteries uncovered. For now, however, we can still collectively admire the beauty of JADES-GS-z14-0, our hidden gem in outer space.