What sophisticated instrument is specifically designed to probe the era of the first galaxies by looking for redshifted light?
Answer
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Observing Population III stars is incredibly difficult because they formed over 13 billion years ago, meaning their light is significantly redshifted deep into the infrared spectrum due to the expansion of the universe. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was specifically engineered with large mirrors and infrared sensitivity to successfully detect the faint light emitted by these extremely distant, early galaxies powered by the first stars. While JWST has achieved detection of galaxies from a remarkably early epoch, isolating the signal of a pure, unmixed Population III star itself remains an active area of research.
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