DR EMILY BALDWIN Posted: November 09, 2009 By looking far back
into the depths of the Universe, astronomers have found a galaxy
located at just 787 million years after the big bang, and 22
other early galaxies. The big bang blasted the Universe into
existence 13.7 billion years ago, and 400,000 years later,
temperatures had cooled enough for electrons and protons to join
and form neutral hydrogen. Within one billion years the first
stars and galaxies were born. These new residents of the
Universe radiated energy and ionized the hydrogen, initiating
what is known as the reionization period. Astronomers know that
this era ended about one billion years after the Big Bang, but
when it began has remained something of a mystery.This is a
composite of false colour images of the galaxies found at the
early epoch around 800 million years after the big bang. The
upper left panel presents the galaxy confirmed in the 787
million year old universe.Ê These galaxies are in the Subaru
Deep Field. Image: M. Ouchi et al. Now,