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Updated: Jul 23, 2025
06:48
Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves
Published on: May 10, 2020
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Supermassive Dark Star candidates seen by JWST.
Cosmin Ilie1, Jillian Paulin1, Katherine Freese2,3,4
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY 13346.
Summary
The first stars, Population III stars or Dark Stars, are unobserved. Researchers identified three potential Supermassive Dark Star candidates, JADES-GS-z13-0, JADES-GS-z12-0, and JADES-GS-z11-0, at high redshifts.
Area of Science:
- Cosmology
- Astrophysics
- Early Universe Studies
Background:
- The nature of the first stars (Population III stars) remains elusive.
- Two theories propose hydrogen-burning stars or Dark Stars powered by dark matter heating.
- Dark Stars can become supermassive and extremely luminous.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature of early cosmic objects.
- To identify candidates for the first stars in the universe.
- To test the Supermassive Dark Star hypothesis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of observational data for high-redshift objects.
- Comparison of object properties with theoretical models of Dark Stars.
- Redshift measurements for JADES-GS-z13-0, JADES-GS-z12-0, and JADES-GS-z11-0.
Main Results:
- Three objects (JADES-GS-z13-0, JADES-GS-z12-0, JADES-GS-z11-0) at redshifts z ∈ [11, 14] were analyzed.
- These objects exhibit properties consistent with Supermassive Dark Stars.
- This marks the identification of the first potential Dark Star candidates.
Conclusions:
- The observed objects are consistent with the Supermassive Dark Star model.
- This finding provides observational support for the Dark Star theory.
- Further observations are needed to confirm these candidates.
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