Galaxies Spotted by Webb Telescope Upend Understanding of Early Universe

Galaxies Spotted by Webb Telescope Upend Understanding of Early Universe
Six candidate massive galaxies, seen an estimated 500-800 million years after the 'Big Bang.' NASA via AP
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Observations by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope are upending the understanding of the early universe, indicating the presence of large and mature but remarkably compact galaxies teeming with stars far sooner than scientists had considered possible.

Astronomers said data obtained by the telescope reveals what appear to be six big galaxies as mature as our Milky Way existing about 540 million to 770 million years after an explosion thought to be a “Big Bang” that kicked off the universe 13.8 billion years ago.