The James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled AzTECC71, a dusty star-forming galaxy from the early universe, challenging previous assumptions about the prevalence and composition of galaxies.

This discovery provides new insights into cosmic history and the evolution of galaxies.

Initially observed as a luminous blob through ground-based telescopes, AzTECC71 mysteriously disappeared in Hubble Space Telescope images.

Now, the elusive entity has reemerged as a faint yet discernible galaxy in an image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, Sci-Tech Daily reported.

Astronomers from the COSMOS-Web collaboration have identified AzTECC71 as a dusty star-forming galaxy—a galaxy actively producing numerous new stars but concealed by a dusty veil.

This discovery, occurring nearly 1 billion years after the Big Bang, challenges the earlier belief that such galaxies were exceptionally rare in the early universe.

Instead, this finding, along with over a dozen additional candidates in the initial half of COSMOS-Web data yet to be detailed in scientific literature, suggests these galaxies may be three to 10 times more common than previously thought.

Written by B.C. Begley