NASA's James Webb discovers Firefly Sparkle galaxy with mass similar to the Milky Way

For the first time, NASA's Webb Telescope "weighed" a galaxy. This galaxy existed 600 million years after the Big Bang. Remarkably, it shares mass traits with a young Milky Way. Named Firefly Sparkle, it glimmers with ten distinct star clusters.

Unique Insights from Firefly Sparkle Galaxy
Firefly Sparkle stands out among galaxies in its era. Most galaxies then were much larger, but this one isn’t. Scientists marvelled at its intricate star clusters and active formation. Researchers compared its sparkle to fireflies on summer nights.

This artist concept depicts a reconstruction of what the Firefly Sparkle galaxy looked like about 600 million years after the big bang if it wasn’t stretched and distorted by a natural effect known as gravitational lensing. (Image: NASA)

The galaxy’s discovery was aided by gravitational lensing effects. A massive foreground galaxy cluster magnified Firefly Sparkle’s appearance. Webb’s infrared imaging further clarified its structure and components.

Reconstruction Reveals Galaxy's Star Formation Process
Firefly Sparkle resembled an elongated raindrop in reconstructions. Within it, two clusters sat at the top, eight below. Diffuse light surrounded these clumps of star formation. Scientists noted its stars are still assembling, not fully formed.