The galaxy GN-z11 is so far away that we see it as it was just 400 million years after the Big Bang—over 13 billion years ago. Because light takes time to travel, looking at distant galaxies is like looking back in time. Newer telescopes like JWST are pushing even further, capturing glimpses of the universe when it was barely a fraction of its current age. These ancient galaxies challenge our understanding of how quickly the first stars and galaxies formed.

Enjoyed this article?

Get daily 10-minute PDFs about astronomy to read before bed!
Sign up for our upcoming micro-learning service where you will learn something new about space and beyond every day while winding down.

Join the Waitlist

Be the first to receive our daily 10-minute astronomy PDFs and help shape our launch!

Please enter a valid email address

You're on the list!

Thank you for joining our waitlist. We'll send you an email as soon as we launch our astronomy PDFs.