JWST's Discovery of Warped Supernova Poised to Resolve Enduring Cosmic Debate #nasa #space

JWST's Discovery of Warped Supernova Poised to Resolve Enduring Cosmic Debate #nasa #space The James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled a cosmic spectacle: two supernovas in a distant galaxy, visible as it was 10 billion years ago. This extraordinary sight could be the key to solving a longstanding debate about the universe's expansion rate, a topic stirring considerable excitement in the scientific community. These celestial bodies were captured by both the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes, thanks to gravitational lensing. This phenomenon, where a galaxy cluster's massive gravitational pull warps space into a lens-like shape, magnifies and distorts light from far-off galaxies, offering us a unique view of the cosmos. The story began in 2016 when Hubble first imaged galaxy MRG-M0138, its light warped into five images by the gravitational lens of galaxy cluster MACS J0138.0-2155. In 2019, a bright supernova in MRG-M0138 caught astronomers' attention. Named "Requiem," this was a Type Ia supernova, a stellar explosion marking the end of a white dwarf's life. James Webb's recent observations brought another revelation: a second Type Ia supernova, dubbed "Encore," in the same galaxy. This discovery marks MRG-M0138 as the most distant galaxy with two observed Type Ia supernovas, offering a unique opportunity to delve into one of cosmology's biggest mysteries: the Hubble constant. The Hubble constant represents the universe's expansion rate. Current methods yield two conflicting values, suggesting either measurement errors or unknown physics at play. The cosmic microwave background suggests a rate of 67.4 km/s per megaparsec, while Type Ia supernovas indicate 73.2 km/s per megaparsec. The lensed supernovas in MRG-M0138 offer a new angle. As their light reaches Earth via different paths, they can provide insights into the universe's expansion history. But there's a twist: the final images of these supernovas, essential for accurate measurements, won't appear until around 2035. This delay turns anticipation into a scientific virtue. When these images finally emerge, they could resolve the Hubble tension, offering a definitive answer to whether it's a mere experimental error or a sign of new cosmic phenomena. As we await this celestial event, astronomers worldwide remain poised for a groundbreaking revelation that could redefine our understanding of the universe. Subscribe to Science Time: https://www.youtube.com/sciencetime24