University of Texas plans to ‘break the universe’ at upcoming event

Eric Henrikson
·2 min read
9

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Space is slowly revealing its secrets. The James Webb Space Telescope launched in 2021, beginning operations a few months later. Since then, it has revealed images of black holes and ultramassive galaxies.

Later this month, these images will be put on display as part of the University of Texas’ Hot Science – Cool Talks lecture series. Dr. Caitlin Casey will lead the lecture called “Breaking the Universe: Discoveries from the Beginning of Time.”

“JWST has given us these surprises. For example, we’re finding very mature galaxies, and very large black holes within the first billion years of cosmic history that we don’t know how to form so quickly after the Big Bang, the Big Bang is supposed to mark the beginning of time,” said Dr. Casey.

This image provided by NASA on Monday, July 11, 2022, shows galaxy cluster SMACS 0723. The streaks are the light from galaxies being warped by gravity coming from the other galaxies closer to us. (NASA/ESA/CSA via AP)
This image provided by NASA on Monday, July 11, 2022, shows galaxy cluster SMACS 0723. The streaks are the light from galaxies being warped by gravity coming from the other galaxies closer to us. (NASA/ESA/CSA via AP)

According to Dr. Casey, astronomy is a really unique science because it involves looking into the past.

“Light from very distant objects takes a long time to reach us, the sun, it’s about eight minutes, the nearest star outside of our own solar system takes about four years to reach us. But the most distant objects in the cosmos, because the cosmos is so vast and so big, that light takes not just years to reach us, it takes billions of years.”

Because Webb can look back this far, it has given us a peak at some miraculous things that existed when the universe first began.

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“We’re finding very mature galaxies, and very large black holes within the first billion years of cosmic history that we don’t know how to form.”

Image of the Pillars of Creation captured by the James Webb Space Telescope in 2022. (Credit: NASA)
Image of the Pillars of Creation captured by the James Webb Space Telescope in 2022. (Credit: NASA)

The talk will share some of the most recent findings by Webb with the public and give perspective on some of the images you’ve likely seen.

“The Hubble Ultra Deep Field… It contains 10,000 galaxies. But now we have new Deep Field images from JWST, that contain a million galaxies.”

The lecture will take place at Welch Hall on the University of Texas’ campus, March 22 at 7:00pm. You can register at UT’s Environmental Science Institute website. The event is free.

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