Some of the biggest astronomy research of 2022 came from data collected from JWST. Several Dunlap Institute members were heavily involved, including Dunlap Fellows Dr. Lamiya Mowla and Dr. Kartheik Iyer.
Using JWST's first Deep Space image, Mowla, Iyer, and their team found a distant galaxy that offers a glimpse into the universe's first stars. Called the "Sparkler," the team concluded that the sparkles surrounding it were among some of the oldest globular clusters in the universe!
This is the first time that astronomers have used distant globular clusters to age-date the first stars in distant galaxies! Watch Mowla and Iyer explain how they did it.
For more information, you can visit: niriss.github.io/sparkler.html
About the Dunlap Institute:
The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 80 faculty, postdocs, students, and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, groundbreaking research, world-class training, and public engagement. The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation, Dark Energy, large-scale structure, the Cosmic Microwave Background, the interstellar medium, galaxy evolution, cosmic magnetism and time-domain science. The Dunlap Institute, the David A. Dunlap of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and other researchers across the University of Toronto's three campuses together comprise the leading concentration of astronomers in Canada, at the leading research university in the country. The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training, and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone of all backgrounds and identities.
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