• Discovered by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), dating back to 600 million years after Big Bang.
  • It is one of the earliest low-mass galaxies discovered, providing rare insights into early galaxy formation.
• It is named so because its star clusters shine brightly, resembling fireflies in JWST’s images.
• It is part of a group of galaxies from the early universe, offering clues about how galaxies like the Milky Way may have formed.

• Mass equal to 10 million suns, making it a relatively low-mass galaxy.
• Visible portion spans just 1,000 light-years, much smaller than the Milky Way’s 100,000 light-years.
• Contains 10 distinct star clusters, each representing different stages of star formation.
  • Accompanied by 2 smaller galaxies, Firefly-Best Friend and Firefly-New Best Friend.
• Elongated raindrop shape, indicating it is still forming.

• Used gravitational lensing to magnify the galaxy’s light by 16-26 times, providing detailed observations.
• JWST observed varied stages of star formation, with younger stars appearing blue and older stars red.
  • It is forming piece by piece, with each star cluster representing a phase of formation.
• These observations help refine theories on galaxy formation and star cluster dynamics in the young universe.

PYQ:

[2022] Launched on 25th December, 2021, James Webb Space Telescope has been much in the news since then. What are its unique features which make it superior to its predecessor Space Telescopes? What are the key goals of this mission? What potential benefits does it hold for the human race?

[2012] Which of the following is/are cited by the scientists as evidence/evidences for the continued expansion of universe?

1. Detection of microwaves in space
2. Observation of redshift phenomenon in space
3. Movement of asteroids in space
4. Occurrence of supernova explosions in space

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) None of the above can be cited as evidence