What evidence suggests the formation of exceptionally massive stars in the early universe?

Answer

Extremely bright, highly redshifted infrared sources

Studying the cosmic dawn requires observing light that has traveled billions of years, capturing star formation epochs vastly different from the present day. Evidence for the formation of exceptionally massive stars, sometimes termed 'monster stars' (tens or hundreds of times the Sun's mass), in these early epochs comes from identifying objects that are both incredibly luminous and significantly redshifted. Redshift indicates great distance and, consequently, an earlier time of observation. The extreme luminosity observed in these distant infrared sources far surpasses the output of typical solar-mass stars, implying a very efficient mode of high-mass star formation operating under the unique environmental conditions prevalent shortly after the Big Bang.

What evidence suggests the formation of exceptionally massive stars in the early universe?

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