The ERS program was released on July 12th, 2022, and has proven to be a treasure trove of scientific discoveries. The study ofResolved Stellar Populations (RSTs), which was the subject of ERS 1334, is one of the areas of research it is enabling. Large groups of stars close enough that individual stars can be seen, but far enough apart that telescopes can catch many of them at once. The Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte dwarf galaxy is located next to the Milky Way.
One of the lead scientists of the program is an astronomer at Rutgers University. She talked to a NASA senior communications specialist about how the JWST has enabled new studies. The improved observations have shown that the galaxy hasn't interacted with other galaxies before. It's a great place for astronomy to test theories of galaxy formation and evolution. The highlights of that interview are here.
The WLM is roughly 3 million light-years away from Earth. Astronomers have concluded that it hasn't interacted with other systems in the past. Astronomers have noticed that dwarf galaxies are in the process of merging and that they are usually entangled with the Milky Way. Their population of stars and gas clouds can't be compared to our own.
It is important to note that WLM is low in terms of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, which were very common in the early Universe. The elements were dispersed when the stars exploded in supernovae. The force of the explosions has pushed the elements out over the years. Small, low-mass galaxies have been observed withgalactic winds.
The new images give a clear view of WLM. The dwarf galaxy was imaged by the IaC on theSST. The side-by-side comparison shows the limited resolution provided by these. A deeper view of stars and features is provided by the advanced suite of instruments. McQuinn described it that way.
There are a lot of individual stars of different colors, sizes, temperatures, ages, and stages of evolution. It's a beautiful image.
The main goal of ERS 1334 is to learn more about the history of star formation in the universe. They are using the Near-Infrared Camera ( ) and Near-Infrared Imaging Slitless Spectrograph ( ) to image three stellar systems within a Megaparsec.
Since the population of low-mass stars in WLM is so long-lived, some of them may have formed during the early Universe. We can gain insight into what was happening in the distant past by determining the properties of low-mass stars. When we look at high-redshift systems, we see the galaxies as they were when they first formed.
The goal is to calibrate the JWST to make sure it can measure the brightness of stars with extreme accuracy. The public will be able to use non-proprietary software to measure the brightness of stars that have been imaged with the NIRCAM. The results of the project will be made public before the call for proposals.
The James Webb Space Telescope has been in space for less than a year and has already proved to be useful. The views of the universe it has provided include deep field images, extremely precise observations of the stars and planets, and detailed spectrum from extrasolar planets. The scientific breakthrough it has already allowed for have been very innovative. Some truly paradigm-changing breakthrough are anticipated before the ten year mission is over.
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