MADRID, June 12. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Almost 30% of galaxies had a spiral structure, like our Milky Wayabout 2 billion years after the formation of the universe.
Using recent images of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Astrophysicists at the University of Missouri have advanced previous estimates of the formation of this type of galaxy by billions of years.
“Scientists previously believed that most spiral galaxies developed around 6 to 7 billion years after the universe formed,” he said. it’s a statement Professor of the Department of Physics and Astronomy Yicheng Guo, one of the authors of the study.
The discovery provides a significant update of the story of the origin of the universe as previously told using data from the Hubble Space Telescope.
“Knowing when spiral galaxies formed in the universe has been a popular question in astronomy because helps us understand the evolution and history of the cosmos“said Vicki Kuhn, a graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy who led the study.
“There are many theoretical ideas about how spiral arms form, but the formation mechanisms can vary between different types of spiral galaxies. This new information helps us better match the physical properties of galaxies with theories, creating a more complete cosmic chronology.”
The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
