JWST MIRI captures red, long-wavelength view of the universe’s first galaxies

Images from JWST's MIRI instrument capture the universe's earliest galaxies in long-wavelength infrared for the first time, revealing a population of red, dusty or evolved systems. A new Astronomy & Astrophysics study uses these data to refine models of galaxy formation more than 13 billion years ago.

Discovered 2025-09-02T18:50:06.179219-07:00 | 2025-09-02T18:50:06.179219-07:00

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What Hype is tracking

  • Confirms JWST's MIRI capability to probe the first galaxies at >13 billion years lookback, providing direct long-wavelength infrared data that complement shorter-wavelength surveys (see recent JWST studies of early massive black holes).
  • Supplies empirical constraints on early galaxy formation and quenching by identifying red/dusty or evolved systems, building on JWST findings of dormant high-redshift galaxies and the role of faint galaxies in reionization.

Related background: see JWST's oldest-known black hole and early-galaxy rotation findings, the discovery of quiescent "Sleeping Beauty" galaxies, and JWST's work showing dwarf galaxies' role in reionization.

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dailygalaxy.com New Scientist news.ssbcrack.com knowridge.com Live Science Phys.org
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First Seen
2025-09-02T18:50:06.179219-07:00
Latest Update
2025-09-07T08:01:02.875077-07:00
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